THE  LIBRARY  OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF 

NORTH  CAROLINA 


THE  COLLECTION  OF 
NORTH  CAROLINIANA 

PRESENTED  BY 

Charles  ¥•  Broadfoot 

0917 
N87a 

c«7 


UNIVERSITY  OF  N.C.  AT  CHAPEL  HILL 


00015561535 


FOR  USE  ONLY  IN 
THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  COLLECTION 


THE  BARCODB  m  TH'S  ITBM  3 
I  FOR  INVENTORY  CONTROi.  oisL/ 

I  THE  ITEM  DOES  NOT  CIRCuLATB 


THIS  ITEIVI  MAY  NOT  BE  COPIED 
ON  THE  SELF-SERVICE  COPIER 


Form  No.  A-368,  Rev.  8/95 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2012  with  funding  from 

University  of  North  Carolina  at  Chapel  Hill 


http://archive.org/details/northcarolinaitsOOstew 


1  .   W.  F.  Green,  Chairman. 
2.    H.  E,  King,  3.    J.  R.  McLelland  4.    W.  R.  Capehart. 

6.    D    A.  Tompkins.  7.    E.  A.  Aiken.  8.    Cyrus  Thompson 

BOARD    OF    AGRICULTURE. 


5.    J.  H.  Gilmer. 
9.    R.  W.  Wharton, 


10.    H.E.  Fries.  1  1  .    W.  S.  Pnmrose.  1  2. '    Frank  Wood.  J^''^^- 

14     J.  B.  Co'field.  15-    J.  L.  Nelson. 

16.     H.  B.  Battle,  Director.         '        17.    S,  L.  Patterson,  Com-missioner.  18.    T,  K.  Bruner, 

BOARD    OF    AGRICULTURE    AND    OFFICERS. 


NORTH  CAROLmA 


AND   ITS 


RESOURCES 


ILLUSTRATED. 


STATE  BOARD  OF  AGRICULTURE. 


RALEIGH. 


WINSTON. 

M.  I.  &  J.  C.  STEWART,  Public  Printers  and  Binders. 

i8q6. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


Page 

HISTORICAL I 

Early  History i 

Roanoke  Island 9 

Roanoke  Colony  Memorial  Association 12 

Virginia  Dare  Memorial  Association 12 

The  Revolution 13 

After  the  Revolution , 13 

Proprietary  and  Royal  Government 14 

The  Civil  War 15 

GENERAL  SKETCH 16 

The  Mountain  Region 17 

In  the  Smoky  Mountains 19 

In  the  Balsam  Mountains 19 

In  the  Black  Mountains  20 

In  the  Craggy  Range 20 

Piedmont  Plateau  Region 24 

Coastal  Plain  Region 26 

CLIMATE 31 

Temperature 33 

Precipitation 34 

Snowfall 35 

Frosts,  Ice  and  Storms 35 

FORESTS 36 

The  Forest  Trees 40 

Forestry  on  the  Biltmore  Estate 52 

Biltmore  Nursery  and  Arboretum 54 

FLORA 56 

FAUNA 63 

GEOLOGY 68 

Alphabetical  List  of  Native  Minerals 71 

Gold,  Silver  and  Copper , 73 

Iron 87 

ECONOMIC  MINERALS 98 

'                        Corundum 98 

Mica 100 

Talc  and  Agalmatolite 100 

Monazite loi 

.                            Marls  and  Phosphates 102 

^                      CoaL 103 


IV  •  Taels  of  Contents. 


ECONOMIC  Mllyin-SiKh^.—  ConHmied.  Page 

Cumnock  Coal  Mines 104 

Graphite 105 

Kaolin  and  Clay 106 

GEMS  AND  GEM  STONES 107 

Diamond , 108 

Hiddenite 108 

Emerald 109 

Aquamarine . .  no 

Ruby no 

Sapphire  . . no 

Cyanite in 

Garnet , Ill 

Quartz in 

Citrine  Topaz 112 

Smoky  Topaz 112 

Amethyst 112 

Other  Gem  Stones 112 

BUII.DING  STONES  113 

PUBLIC  ROADS 117 

Road  Materials , .  121 

WATERS  AND  WATER  WAYS 122 

Rivers 122 

Lakes 127 

Sounds  and  Bays 128 

Swamps 129 

Canals 130 

Ports  and  Harbors 132 

Water  Powers 136 

COMMERCIAL  FISHERIES 141 

Persons  Employed 144 

Apparatus  and  Capital 145 

Products   145 

SHELLFISH 151 

AGRICULTURE I55 

Cotton 158 

Tobacco 159 

Rice 162 

Peanuts 163 

Other  Important  Crops 164 

Model  Farms , 165 

Glenoe  Stock  Farm 165 

Occoneechee  Farm .... 165 

Duke  Farm 165 

Rockwell  Farm 165 

Biltmore  Farms 166 

State  Agricultural  Society 168 

HORTICULTURE 169. 

Fruit  Growing 169 

Coastal  Plain  Section 169. 


Table  of  Contents.  v 


H0KT1CULTU:S.U. —  Continued.  Page 

Sand  Hill  Section 171 

New  Experiments 172 

Lower  Piedmont  Section 173 

Upper  Piedmont  Section , 173 

The  Mountain  Section 175 

Native  Fruits 176 

VINEYARDS 178 

Medoc  Vineyard 178 

Tokay  Vineyard 178 

Bordeaux  Vineyard , 179 

Engadine  Vineyard  , 179 

Happy  Valley  Vineyard 179 

NURSERIES 180 

The  Pomona  Nurseries 180 

Greensboro  Nurseries 180 

Cedar  Grove  Nurseries 181 

Underdown  Nurseries 181 

Other  Nurseries 181 

Trucking 181 

Culture  of  Flowering  Bulbs 185 

MANUFACTURING 187 

Cotton  Mills 189 

Ivist  of  Cotton  Factories 192 

List  of  Woolen  Mills 196 

By-Products  of  Cotton 196 

Cotton  Seed,  Fertilizer  and  Bone  Mills 197 

TOBACCO  MANUFACTURING 197 

List  of  Tobacco  Factories 198 

MISCELLANEOUS  INDUSTRIES 202 

RAILROADS  AND  STEAMBOATS 213 

NEWSPAPERS 216 

POPULATION 220 

RELIGION  225 

GOVERNMENT  AND  TAXATION 226 

STATE  DEBT 230 

GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY 231 

AGRICULTURAL  DEPARTMENT 232 

STATE  MUSEUM 233 

AGRICULTURAL  EXPERIMENT  STATION 234 

RAILROAD  COMMISSION , 236 

BUREAU  OF  LABOR  STATISTICS 237 

PUBLIC  CHARITIES 23S 

The  Insane  Asylum „ 239 

State  Hospital 239 

Eastern  Hospital 240 

Other  Provision  for  the  Insane 240 

Institute  for  the  Blind 241 

Institute  for  the  Colored  Deaf,  Dumb  and  Blind 241 

School  for  Deaf  and  Dumb 241 


VI  Table  of  Contents. 


PUBLIC  CHARITIES.— Co;///«M^df.  Page 

Soldiers'  Home 242 

Oxford  Orphan  Asylum 242 

Colored  Orphan  Asylum 243 

State  Penitentiary 243 

ORPHANAGES  AND  HOSPITALS 244 

Thomasville  Orphanage 244 

The  Thompson  Orphanage 244 

The  Orphans'  Home 244 

Odd  Fellows'  Orphans'  Home 245 

The  Friends'  Orphanage 245 

The  Children's  Home 245 

The  Mission  Hospital 245 

Wilmington  City  Hospital 245 

St.  Peter's  Hospital 245 

The  Good  Samaritan  Hospital i\<a 

The  Watts  Hospital 246 

Rex  Hospital 246 

PUBLIC  BUILDINGS 246 

EDUCATION 247 

Free  Public  Schools 249 

University  of  North  Carolina 251 

College  of  Agriculture  and  Mechanic  Arts 252 

State  Normal  and  Industrial  School 254 

Davidson  College 255 

Trinity  College 256 

Wake  Forest  College 257 

Elon  College 259 

Guilford  College 259 

Bingham  School 260 

The  Horner  School 260 

Davis  Military  School 261 

Salem  Female  Academy 261 

Peace  Institute 262 

St.  Mary's 262 

Baptist  Female  University 263 

Chowan  Baptist  Female  Institute 263 

Oxford  Female  Seminary 264 

Greensboro  Female  College 264 

Asheville  Female  College 264 

Lutheran  College  for  Women 265 

Private  Schools  and  Colleges. .    265 

Schools  for  the  Colored  Race 267 

Agricultural  College  for  the  Colored  Race 267 

Shaw  University. . , 268 

St.  Augustine  Normal  School 269 

Slater  Industrial  Academy. , 270 

Livingston  College 27a 

Biddle  University 271 

Scotia  Seminary 272 


Table  of  Contents.  vii 


'HBTJ  CATION. —  Continued.  Page 

Franklinton  Christian  College 272 

Teachers'  Assembly 273 

HEALTH 273 

Mineral  Springs 275 

Hot  Springs 275 

Haywood  White  Sulphur  Springs 276 

Glen  Alpine  Springs 276 

Connelly  Springs 276 

Sparkling  Catawba  Springs 277 

Barium  Springs 277 

Moore  Spring 277 

Piedmont  Springs 278 

Bromine  and  Arsenic  Spring 278 

Cleveland  Springs 278 

Lincoln  Lithia  Springs 278 

Ellerbee  Springs 279 

Jackson  Springs 279 

Red  Springs 279 

Panacea  Springs 280 

The  Seven  Springs 280 

SEASIDE  RESORTS 281 

Nag's  Head 281 

New  Bern 281 

Beaufort  andMorehead 282 

Southport ,.   ..  283 

Carolina  Beach . .  283 

Wrightsville 283 

PINY-WOODS  RESORTS 284 

Southern  Pines 285 

Pinehurst 286 

MOUNTAIN  RESORTS 287 

Hickory 288 

Lenoir 289 

Blowing  Rock 289 

Green  Park  Hotel 290 

Blowing  Rock  Hotel 291 

Watauga  Hotel 291 

Boon 291 

Eseeola  Inn 292 

Cloudland  Hotel 292 

Highlands 293 

Asheville 293 

Battery  Park 293 

Swannanoa  Hotel 294 

Berkly  Hotel 294 

Oakland  Heights 294 

Kenilworth  Inn 294 

Arden  Park .    ...  294 

Hendersonville 294 


VIII  Tabids  op  Contents. 


MOUNTAIN  'R.^QOKTS.— Continued.  Page 

Flat  Rock 295 

Hot  Springs 295 

Roaring  Gap ...  295 

WITH  GUN  AND  ROD 296 

DESCRIPTION  OF  COUNTIES 301 

Alamance 301 

Alexander 302 

Alleghany 303 

Anson 303 

Ashe 305 

Beaufort 305 

Bertie 307 

Bladen 308 

Brunswick 309 

Buncombe 310 

Burke 312 

Cabarrus 313 

Caldwell 314 

Camden r » 315 

Carteret , 315 

Caswell 317 

Catawba 317 

Chatham 319 

Cherokee 320 

Chowan 321 

Clay 322 

Cleveland 323 

Columbus 324 

Craven 325 

Cumberland 327 

Currituck 328 

Dare 329 

Davidson 330 

Davie 332 

Duplin 333 

Durham 333 

Edgecombe , 335 

Forsyth 336 

Franklin 338 

Gaston   340 

Gates 341 

Graham 342 

Granville 342 

Greene 343 

Guilford 344 

Halifax 346 

Harnett 348 

Haywood 349 

Henderson 350 


Table  of  Contents.  ix 


DESCRIPTION  OF  COUNTIES.— a?«/z»«^^.  Page 

Hertford 351 

Hyde 352 

Iredell 353 

Jackson 354 

Johnston 355 

Jones 356 

Lenoir 357 

Lincoln 359 

McDowell 360 

Macon : 362 

Madison 363 

Martin 364 

Mecklenburg 365 

Mitchell 367 

Montgomery ....    36S 

Moore 369 

Nash , . .  371 

New  Hanover 372 

Northampton 375 

Onslow 376 

Orange 377 

Pamlico 378 

Pasquotank 379 

Pender 380 

Perquimans 382 

Person 382 

Pitt 384 

Polk 385 

Randolph 386 

Richmond 388 

Robeson , 389 

Rockingham 390 

Rowan 391 

Rutherford 393 

Sampson 3^4 

Stanly 395 

Stokes 3g6 

Surry 397 


Swain. 


399 


Transylvania 400 

Tyrrell 40 1 

Union 402 


Vance.  . 
Wake . . 
Warren. 


403 
404 
405 


Washington 406 

Watauga 407 

Wayne 408 


Wilkes. 


410 


Table  op  Contents. 


DESCRIPTION  OF  COUNTIES.— Continued.  Pagr 

Wilson 411 

Yadkin 412^ 

Yancey 412 

STATB  MAP , , , Inside  last  Cover. 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


LIST  OF  COLORED  PLATES; 

Opposite  Page 

A  Forsyth  County  Farm 155 

Blowing  Rock 287 

Geological  Map 68 

Hickorynut   Gap i 

On  the  Yonahlossee  Road 291 

Some  Indigenous  Flowers 56 

Some  Native  Fruits 169 

Some  Native  Gems 108 

State  Map Inside  last  Cover 

LIST  OP  ILLUSTRATIONS : 

A  Corner  in  the  State  Museum 233 

Ascent  of  the  Blue  Ridge 17 

Barnard  Farm 362 

Beach  at  Nag's  Head 281 

Bean  Field , 28 

Board  of  Agriculture Frontispiece 

Board  of  Agriculture  and  Officers Frontispiece 

Catawba  Falls 63 

Cherokees — Indian    Reservation 355 

College  of  Agriculture  and  Mechanic  Arts 252 

Cotton  Mills 190 

Craggy  Chain 20 

Cranberry  Iron  Mine 96 

Cumnock  Coal  Mines 104 

Experiment  Station 234 

Falls  of  Queen's  Creek  Rapids 294 

Glenoe  Stock  Farm 165 

Great  Falls  and  Bulkhead 187 

Harvest  in  the  Catawba  Valley 156 

Herd  of  Holsteins 162 

Macadam  Roads  and  Bridges 120 

Macadamized  Country  Roads 117 

Mt.  Airy  Granite  Quarry 113 

Narrows  of  the  Yadkin 13d 

Norfolk  and  Southern  Railway 214 

Normal  and  Industrial  School 254 

Occoneechee  Farm 166 


XII  ILIvUSTRATIONS. 


Opposite  Page 

On  Linville  River 126 

On  Picturesque  Trout  Streams 298 

On  Roanoke  River 125 

On  the  French  Broad  River 122 

Piny-woods  Inn   284 

Placer  Gold  Mining 84 

Roan  Mountain 292 

Rockingham — Carolina  Central  Railway 202 

Sand-hill  Lands 171 

Scenes  near  Fayetteville 26 

Shell  Road 119 

Some  Native  Game  Birds 296 

State  Capitol 246 

State  Hospital 239 

State  School  for  Deaf  and  Dumb 242 

Steam  Seine  Fishing 147 

Stone  Mountain 115 

Strawberry  Farm 177 

Tar  River 138 

The  Nantahala  Mountains 288 

Tobacco  Field 160 

Trucking  around  New  Bern 184 

Trucking  Scenes. 181 

University 251 

Vanderbilt  Estate 52 

Views  at  Morehead  and  Beaufort 12 

Views  around  Hot  Springs 275 

Wilmington,  New  Bern  and  Norfolk  Railway 132 

Wrightsville  Beach  and  Sound ...t  ....••%•  ttt.  .ti..,,.,. 283 


PREFACE. 


At  the  December  (1895)  meeting  of  the  State  Board  of  Agricult- 
ure it  was  agreed  that  a  new  edition  of  the  Hand  Book  was  a  neces- 
sity, and  the  Secretary  to  the  Board  was  charged  with  its  prepara- 
tion. This  involved  a  complete  revision  of  the  former  publication, 
the  selection  of  suitable  illustrations,  the  preparation  of  much  new 
data,  and  the  issuing  during  this  year  of  a  volume  illustrative  of  the 
vast  resources  of  North  Carolina.  All  of  this  with  the  view  of  point- 
ing out  progress  already  made,  and  the  possibilities  presented  for 
future  development.  The  work  has  proved  more  exacting  than  at 
the  time  was  contemplated,  in  that  the  changes  necessary  frequently 
required  the  rewriting  of  such  portions  of  the  former  volume  as  were 
still  considered  in  part  available,  and  to  make  more  complete  the 
presentation  whole  chapters  have  been  introduced  presenting  matter 
hitherto  entirely  omitted  or  to  which  but  slight  allusion  was  made. 

The  remarkable  development  in  all  branches  of  industry,  with 
corresponding  increase  in  the  volume  of  business,  together  with  the 
varied  and  ever-widening  conditions  favorable  to  the  avocation  of  the 
farmer,  the  trucker,  the  fruit  grower,  the  lumberman,  the  miner  and 
the  fisherman,  have  all  combined  to  induce  the  publication  of  this 
volume  by  the  Board  of  Agriculture.  The  Board,  always  in  the  lead, 
is  ever  found  promoting  the  best  interests  of  the  people  of  the  State, 
lending  encouragement  to  the  development  of  her  rich  resource  of  forest, 
of  mine,  of  soil  and  of  sea.  The  State  Constitution  provides  for  an 
Agricultural  Department,  and  its  earlier  reports  date  back  to  1S25. 
The  present  organization  of  the  Board  was  effected  under  an  act  of 
the  General  Assembly  in  1877.  From  the  day  of  its  organization  it 
began  the  discharge  of  the  duties  assigned  it  with  an  earnest  deter- 
mination to  foster  and  stimulate  agriculture  in  all  its  branches,  and  to 
promote  every  legitimate  attempt  to  develop  the  State's  resources. 
It  has  aided  in  almost  every  movement  in  this  direction,  being  in  a 
certain  sense  a  pioneer,  by  directing  attention  to  the  possibilities 
oflFered.  It  was  first  among  the  States  to  increase  the  catch  offish  by 
means  of  fish  hatcheries;  it  explored  the  phosphate  beds  of  the  east- 


XIV  Preface. 

ern  counties;  it  surveyed  the  coal  fields;  it  exhibited  the  ores  of  gold, 
silver,  copper  and  of  iron  in  great  expositions,  and  in  the  same  way 
advertised  the  forests;  it  surveyed  the  oyster  grounds,  and  it  pro- 
moted the  development  of  the  sand-hill  region.  By  its  assiduous  and 
systematic  effort  North  Carolina  is  becoming  known  as  the  most 
resourceful  of  all  the  Southern  States. 

This  is  the  fifth  publication  of  its  kind  emanating  from  the  Board; 
the  first  appearing  in  1879,  which  was  followed  by  an  improved 
edition  in  1883;  this  was  exhausted  by  distribution  at  the  Boston 
and  New  Orleans  expositions,  so  that  in  1886  a  new  and  still  better 
book  was  issued  and  did  good  service  until  the  approach  of  the  great 
Columbian  Exposition,  when  it  was  determined  to  offer  a  more 
exhaustive  treatment  of  the  conditions  presented  in  North  Carolina 
for  the  profitable  investment  of  capital.  This  volume  was  a  departure 
from  the  ordinary  Hand  Book  type,  and  proved  a  most  acceptable 
resume  of  the  varied  conditions  so  happily  distributed  in  the  State  by 
the  munificent  hand  of  nature.  So  useful  a  volume  was  soon  brought 
to  the  attention  of  the  public,  and  so  persistent  was  the  demand  that 
the  edition  of  ten  thousand  had  dwindled  to  as  many  hundred,  when 
the  Board  took  the  action  referred  to  above. 

It  is  most  gratifying  to  note  the  advance  made  all  along  the  lines 
of  enterprise  since  1 893.  The  extent  of  progress  in  the  industries  and 
the  manufactures;  the  extension  of  agriculture  and  horticulture;  the 
widening  of  remunerative  truck  fields;  the  adaptability  of  hitherto 
worthless  sand-hills  and  flat  lands  to  the  profitable  production  of 
peaches,  grapes,  berries  and  bulbs,  and  the  expansion  of  the  facilities 
for  all  forms  of  education — these  all  tell  of  the  solid  progress  of  our 
people  and  point  with  unerring  conviction  to  North  Carolina  as  the 
most  progressive,  most  desirable  and  most  healthful  of  all  the  South 
Atlantic  States  as  a  place  of  residence.  Her  homogeneous,  hospitable 
population,  conservative  laws,  light  taxation,  salubrious  and  tem- 
perate climate,  and  the  great  possibilities  of  her  natural  and  improved 
<;onditions  also  present  inviting  fields  to  the  investor  or  to  the  home- 
seeker. 

The  subjects  brought  to  view  in  this  volume  are  presented  with 
rigid  regard  to  fact;  they  are  under-drawn  rather  than  otherwise, 
and  described  from  a  sober  business  point  of  view  without  exagger- 
ation or  untruthful  illusion.  The  facts  about  North  Carolina  are 
sufficient  in  themselves;  no  coloring  is  needed.  These  facts  are  but 
imperfectly  presented  in  the  pages  to  follow;  there  are  doubtless 
omissions  and  many  under-drawn  descriptions,  but  the  work  has  beeo 
performed  while  in  the  discharge  of  regular  official  duties.      The 


Preface.  xv 


compiler  has  sought  out  facts  in  regard  to  all  the  State's  resources 
obtainable  by  research,  enquiry  and  from  personal  observation, 
and,  subjecting  all  to  careful  examination,  has  arranged  them  in 
as  succinct  and  coherent  an  order  as  the  subjects  will  allow.  A  con- 
siderable portion  of  the  facts  are  from  ofiBcial  records  and  statistics, 
and  the  remainder  from  the  most  accurate  and  competent  authority 
attainable. 

It  is  fitting  here  to  give  credit  and  make  due  acknowledgment  to 
those  who  have  so  generously  contributed  in  the  preparation  of  the 
matter  for  the  work.  Much  has  been  drawn  from  the  very  excellent 
and  accurate  work  of  Col.  John  D.  Cameron,  in  the  Hand  Book  of 
1893.  He  has  written  much  that  is  enduring,  and  from  it  the  most 
liberal  quotations  have  been  made.  For  information  relating  to  the 
ores,  building  stones,  minerals,  waterpowen*  and  roads,  I  am  indebted 
to  Professor  Joseph  A.  Holmes,  State  Geologist;  for  information  in 
regard  to  taxation  and  the  State  debt,  to  Hon.  R.  M.  Furman,  State 
Auditor;  for  articles  on  Agriculture,  to  Hon.  S.  L.  Patterson,  Com- 
missioner of  Agriculture;  for  information  prepared  on  horticulture,  to 
Prof.  W.  F.  Massey;  for  information  relating  to  flora  and  the  climate, 
to  Dr.  H.  B.  Battle,  Director  of  the  North  Carolina  Experiment 
Station,  and  to  Professor  Gerald  McCarthy,  Botanist,  and  Mr.  C.  F. 
von  Herrmann,  Meteorologist,  of  the  Experiment  Station  staff,  and 
to  the  following  for  information  on  the  subjects  annexed  to  their 
names: 

Dr.  Kemp  P.  Battle,  University  of  North  Carolina — History. 

D.  A.  Tompkins,  Charlotte — Manufacturing. 

Dr.  R.  H.  Ivcwis,  Raleigh,  Sec.  State  Board  of  Health— Health. 

Col.  C.  A.  Cilley,  Hickory — Mountain  Resorts. 

Dr.  G.  H.  Sadelson,  Southern  Pines — Piny-woods  Resorts. 

Col.  F.  A.  Olds,  Raleigh— Seaside  Resorts. 

W.  W.  Ashe,  Raleigh — Forests. 

H.  H.  Brimley,  Raleigh — Fauna  and  Game. 

Capt.  C.  B.  Denson,  Raleigh — Charities  and  Orphanages. 

Mr.  Charles  McNamee,  Biltmore — The  Biltmore  Estate. 

Morganton  Land  and  Improvement  Company — several  illustra- 
tions, and  to  the  gentlemen  in  the  several  counties  who  so  generously 
corrected  the  sketches  of  their  counties. 

To  all  I  beg  to  give  assurance  of  hearty  appreciation  and  the  full 
credit  for  assistance  rendered. 

T.  K.  Bruner, 

Secretary. 


HICKORYNUT  GAP. 


HISTORICAL. 


:o: 

EARLY  HISTORY. 

THE   LANDING    OF   SIR   Vv'ALTER   RALEIGH'S    COLONY. 

"They  were  the  first  that  ever  burst 
Into  that  silent  sea." — Coleridge. 

On  the  4tli  of  July,  1584,  two  English  ships  hove  in  sight  of  the 
coast  of  North  Carolina,  somewhere  about  Cape  Fear.  They  were 
the  vessels  of  Sir  Walter  Raleigh,  and  were  on  a  voj-age  of  discovery, 
to  take  possession  of  some  portion  of  the  new  world  in  the  name  of 
the  crown  of  England.  The  day  on  which  they  first  beheld  the 
shores  of  our  country  has  since  become  the  great  political  holiday  of 
the  age,  and  is  now  distinguished  as  the  anniversary,  not  of  the 
origin,  but  of  the  downfall  of  the  authority  of  England  over  the 
United  States.  The  commanders  of  these  two  ships  were  Philip 
Amadas  and  Arthur  Barlowe;  and  the  ceremony  which  the}^  performed 
upon  the  coast  of  North  Carolina,  and  which  I  am  now  about  to 
celebrate,  is  perhaps  one  of  the  most  memorable  events  in  the  history 
of  mankind.  The  fortunate  results  of  the  dominion  of  England  over 
the  territory  of  our  Union  are  as  innumerable  as  are  the  stars;  and  the 
free  Anglo-American,  in  whatever  forests  he  may  be  found,  will  turn 
reverently  to  the  spot  consecrated  as  its  birthplace.  The  two  advent- 
urers loitered  along  the  coast  of  North  Carolina,  in  full  view  of  the 
shore  as  it  sweeps  in  a  curve  from  Cape  Lookout  to  Cape  Fear. 
There  was  scarcely  wind  enough  to  ruffle  the  plumage  of  the  two  ships 
as  they  lay  their  gentle  course,  and  the  mild  land-breeze  vras  so 
fragrant,  that  the  voyagers  exclaimed  that  they  seemed  to  be  in  the 
midst  of  some  delicate  garden,  abounding  with  all  kinds  of  odoriferous 
flowers.  Thus  making  their  liquid  vcay,  on  the  i3tli  of  Juh*,  1584, 
we  find  the  two  ships  at  anchor  in  the  roads  of  Ocracock  Inlet,  within 
a  few  hundred  j'ards  of  the  island  which  lies  to  the  south,  and  which 
the  Indians  called  Wokokon.  And  this  is  the  spot,  of  all  the  fair 
lands  of  our  wide-spread  country,  which  was  first  occupied  by  old 
mother  England. 

Note;. — Extracts  from  "Memorials   of  North  Carolina"  by  Joseph  Seawall 
Jones. 

I 


North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


About  midday  on  the  13th,  when  there  was  not  a  film  of  a  cloud 
in  the  heavens,  nor  a  breath  of  air  to  break  the  sea;  when  the  tides 
were  still,  and  the  sunshine  danced  along  the  glittering  sandbanks 
from  Hatteras  to  Lookout;  when  the  whole  scene  was  so  intensely- 
tranquil,  that  those  ships  looked  like  "painted  ships,"  and  that 
ocean  a  "painted  ocean;  "  when  the  crew  stood  about  the  decks  in 
silent  wonderment  at  the  vast  and  solitary  world  before  them — no 
scudding  skiff,  no  rising  smoke,  no  distant  sound;  at  this  hour,  when 
solitude  was  roost  awful  and  most  sublime,  the  sound  of  prayer  broke 
the  enchantment,  and  the  first  words  of  Christian  suffrage  were  uttered 
in  returning  thanks  to  God  that  the  lion  flag  of  old  England  was 
about  to  be  planted  upon  the  coast  of  the  new  world.  The  boats  were 
then  manned,  and  the  two  captains,  attended  by  the  most  noble  gen- 
tlemen of  the  expedition,  were  pulled  toward  the  shore;  and  as  the 
boats  grated  upon  the  sand,  they  sprang  upon  the  beach,  and  Captain 
Amadas  shouted  in  a  loud  voice: 

"We  take  possession  of  this  land  in  the  right  of  the  queene's 
most  excellent  majestic,  as  rightfull  queene  and  princesse  of  the  same, 
to  be  delivered  over  to  the  use  of  Sir  Walter  Raleigh,  according  to 
her  Majestie's  grant  and  letters  patent,  under  her  highnesse's  great 
seale." 

This,  then,  was  the  birthday,  and  here,  then,  was  the  birthplace, 
of  our  great  Anglo-American  empire.  And  how  fortunate  was  it  for  the 
cause  of  civil  and  religious  freedom  all  over  the  world  that  England, 
and  not  Spain,  France,  or  Portugal,  colonized  our  splendid  domain. 
I/5ok  to  the  South  American  States,  already  in  the  decrepitude  of  old 
age;  their  moral,  intellectual,  and  physical  condition  alike  unimproved; 
their  governments  unsteady  and  tyrannical;  their  private  estates 
insecure;  and  the  very  liberty  which,  but  a  few  years  ago,  they  so 
proudly  achieved,  already  degraded  into  popular  despotism.  Spanish 
blood  corrupted  the  new  world.  The  seeds  of  civil  and  religious 
despotism  were  sown,  broadcast,  from  the  City  of  Mexico  to  Cape 
Horn;  and  after  a  revolution  of  three  hundred  years,  Spanish  America 
can  boast  of  but  little  that  is  either  grand  or  sublime,  in  all  her  history, 
excepting  the  monuments  of  Montezuma's  magnificence  and  the 
victories  of  Bolivar. 

But  how  different  has  been  the  career  of  the  Anglo-American  race. 
The  seed  which  was  planted  on  Wokokon  Island  has  given  birth  to 
a  new  genus  of  men.  Another  and  a  hardier  race  than  even  the 
Anglo-Saxon  has  sprung  into  existence,  and  are  now  bearing  onward 
to  the  Pacific,  as  they  leap  from  the  Alleghany  to  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  the  language  and  the  liberty  of  their  forefathers.     The 


Early  History. 


general  principles  of  human  government  have  been  simplified;  the 
liberty  of  the  people  and  their  right  to  self-government,  immovably 
established;  a  free,  happy  and  powerful  Republic,  under  the 
constitution  and  laws  of  which  the  rights  of  individuals  are  as 
inviolably  sustained  as  is  the  glory  of  the  national  faith,  now  covers 
the  fairest  portions  of  the  new  world;  and  what  is  the  proudest  result 
of  all,  this  new-born  nation,  in  the  purity  ofits  government  and  in  the 
happiness  of  its  people,  is  now  sending  back  across  the  sea,  to 
regenerate  and  to  reform  the  old  world,  the  sublime  lessons  of  her 
own  experience.  Happy  proud  Anglo-America.  She  has  given  to 
the  world  the  great  principle  of  a  free  government.  She  has  extended 
the  provinces  of  liberty,  civilization,  and  of  law.  "The  lightning  of 
the  heavens  could  not  resist  her  philosophy,  nor  the  temptation  of  a 
throne  seduce  her  patriotism." 

lyCt  us  now  return  to  the  voyagers.  As  soon  as  they  had 
performed  the  ceremony  cf  occupation,  the  company  penetrated  a  few 
miles  into  the  interior,  and,  on  reaching  the  summit  of  an  eminence, 
they  discovered  that  they  were  on  an  island,  and  not  on  the  continent, 
"They  behelde  the  sea  both  sides  of  them  to  the  north  and  to  the  south, 
having  no  end  any  of  both  ways."  They  were  on  an  island  clad  with 
vines,  which  reeled  so  full  of  grapes,  "as  that  the  very  beating  and 
surge  of  the  sea  had  overflowed  them,  of  which  we  found  such  plentie 
as  well  there  as  in  all  places  else,  both  on  the  sand  as  on  the  green 
soil,  on  the  hills  as  in  the  plains,  as  well  as  on  every  little  shrub  as  also 
climing  towardes  the  tops  of  high  cedars,  that  I  thinke  in  all  the 
worlde  the  like  abundance  is  not  to  be  found."  From  the  eminence 
which  they  had  gained,  they  beheld  the  valleys  replenished  with 
goodly  cedar  trees,  and  having  discharged  their  harque-buz  shot,  a 
flock  of  cranes  (the  most  part  white)  arose  under  them,  with  such  a 
cry,  redoubled  by  many  echoes,  as  if  an  army  of  men  had  shouted  all 
together."  The  island  is  again  described  as  having  "many  goodly 
woods,  full  of  deer,  conies,  hares,  and  fowle,  even  in  the  midst  of 
summer,  in  incredible  abundance.  The  woods  are  not  such  as  you 
find  in  Bohemia,  Moscovia  or  Hercynia — barren  and  fruitless,  but  the 
highest  and  reddest  cedars  in  the  world,  far  better  than  the  cedars  of 
the  Azores,  of  the  Indies,  or  of  Lybanus." 

The  extracts  which  I  have  made  are  taken  from  the  report  of  the 
two  captains,  Amadas  and  Barlowe,  made  to  Sir  Walter  Raleigh  on 
their  return  to  Kngland.  The  description  is  not  too  highly  wrought, 
for  we  must  remember  that  the  ravages  of  man  and  of  the  ocean  have, 
for  more  than  two  centuries,  desolated  and  changed  Wokokon  Island. 
The  beautiful  name  of  Virginia  was  first  applied  to  the  islands  of 


North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


North  Carolina,  and  I  have  seen,  in  the  earliest  maps  and  charts  of 
the  State  at  present  bearing  that  name,  Roanoke  and  Wokokon 
Islands  laid  off  to  the  south  under  the  somewhat  boasted  title  of 
"Old  Virginia,"  This,  at  least,  was  the  Virginia  of  Sir  Walter 
Raleigh,  and  of  the  Fairy  Queen  of  England.  His  name  is  identi- 
fied with  no  other  section  of  our  Union,  and  the  name  of  the  capital 
of  North  Carolina  best  betokens  her  proud  remembrance  of  the  char- 
acter of  her  founder. 

The  two  captains,  after  having  surveyed  Wokokon  Island, 
returned  to  their  ships  and  there  remained  for  two  days  before  they 
encountered  the  natives.  It  is  not  my  design  in  this  number  to 
follow  them  in  their  adventures  among  the  savages  ;  I  would  rather 
ask  the  reader  to  come  with  me  to  the  consecrated  spot,  and  see  how 
it  now  looks  after  a  revolution  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  years. 

I  have  myself  stood  upon  such  an  eminence  on  V^^'okokon  Island 
as  that  described  by  the  voj^agers,  but  I  sought  a  more  poetical  hour 
than  midday,  and  I  had,  too,  the  benefit  of  a  blustering  March  wind, 
which  threw  the  Vv^aters  all  into  a  rage,  and  brought  down  the  waves 
of  the  Pamlico  all  the  way  from  Roanoke  Island,  as  heavy  as  if  they 
had  been  born  in  the  Gulf  Stream.  It  was  a  clear,  cold  day  ;  and 
with  the  history  of  these  voyages  fresh  in  my  memory,  I  had  wan- 
dered about  the  island,  and  at  sunset  I  placed  myself  as  near  as  pos- 
sible on  the  very  eminence  on  which  they  had  stood  centuries  ago. 
The  view  before  me  was  indeed  wild  and  startling.  The  glorious 
sunset  gilded  the  crested  waves  of  the  Pamlico,  as  they  broke  in 
boandless  succession  afar  to  the  west  and  to  the  north,  and  the  nar- 
row island  that  curves  around  to  the  northeast  from  Ocracock  to 
Hatteras,  all  covered  as  it  v/as  with  the  mellow  tints  of  the  sun, 
resembled  a  rainbow  resting  on  the  face  of  the  sea.  The  opposite 
towns  of  Portsmouth  and  Ocracock,  and  the  old  shell  castle,  stood 
before  me  amid  the  noisy  waves,  as  if  they  had  arisen  to  earth  from 
the  convulsive  throes  of  the  excited  sea,  and  then  there  w^as  the 
narrow  island,  v/ith  its  naked  woods  and  vines,  and  the  waves  bursting 
and  thundering  upon  its  shores,  combing  their  foam  higher  and 
higher  on  each  return,  as  if  in  the  wantonness  of  their  strength  they 
would  clap  their  hand  over  the  very  spot  on  which  I  stood.  To  me 
there  is  something  especially  fascinating  in  the  scenery  about  Ocra- 
cock Inlet.  I  love  it  for  its  very  bleakness  ;  and  historical  associa- 
tion, too,  hallows  it  in  my  memory.  It  is  indeed  a  place  of  storms, 
for  nature  has  there  provided  everything  which  can  give  fury  to  the 
winds,  and,  come  from  what  quarter  they  will,  they  bring  noise  and 
strife.     An  easterly  wind  arouses  the  whole  Atlantic,  and  the  waves 


Early  History, 


dash  through  the  narrow  straits,  retreating  from  the  fury  of  the 
storm  ;  and  then  a  westerly  wind  arises  and,  sweeping  over  the  Pam- 
lico, sends  them  all  back  to  their  ocean  mother.  A  northeast  gale 
will  bring  down  from  the  banks  of  Hatteras  sand  enough  to  create  an 
island  ;  and  oftentimes  a  ship,  riding  at  her  anchorage,  is  enveloped 
in  a  whirlpool  of  sand,  and  lifted  high  and  dr}^  out  of  the  sea  ;  but 
then  a  northern  storm  will  send  its  ministers  to  the  rescue,  and  the 
briny  waves  will  soon  ply  their  strength,  undermine  it,  and  sweep 
the  ship  away. 

^         ^         ^ 

"  The  gentle  children  of  an  isle, 
Who  knew  but  to  worship  and  to  love." — Russell. 

For  two  days  our  adventurous  voyagers  saw  no  signs  of  man. 
The  vine-clad  and  flowery  isle  before  them  seemed  to  have  bloomed 
away  its  existence  unenjoyed  by  man,  and  their  minds  v/ere  filled 
with  the  sublime  thought — that  in  this  virgin  world  the  clamor  of 
war  had  never  been  heard,  nor  the  silence  of  its  shores  ever  violated, 
save  by  the  thunders  of  the  waves  and  of  the  clouds  of  heaven.  On  the 
third  day,  however,  this  dream  was  broken.  A  solitary  boat  with 
three  savages  turned  the  northern  part  of  Wokokon,  and,  gliding 
into  an  indenture  in  the  shore,  one  of  the  party  sprang  upon  the 
beach,  and  coming  directly  opposite  the  anchorage  of  the  ships,  he 
walked  up  and  down  along  the  water's  edge,  seemingly  in  wonder  at 
what  he  saw.  When  Captain  Amadas  and  three  other  gentlemen 
approached  him  in  a  boat,  he  made,  them  a  speech  of  much  length,  in 
his  own  barbarous  tongue,  and  then  firmly  stepping  into  their  boat, 
he  manifested  by  signs  his  desire  to  visit  their  ships.  How  brave  is 
innocence.  It  goes  wheresoever  it  will,  and  triumphs  where  guilt 
would  fall.  It  has  survived  the  fier}'  furnace,  and  once  walked  upon 
the  stormy  sea,  as  upon  the  plains  of  the  earth. 

The  name  of  this  Indian  was  Manteo  ;  and  the  whole  domestic 
history  of  England  cannot  boast  a  more  perfect  character.  He  was 
alike  the  firm  friend  of  the  English  and  the  stern  patriot  and  defender 
of  his  tribe  ;  and  whenever  a  strife  arose  among  them,  he  held  out 
the  olive  branch,  and  made  peace  upon  the  principles  of  justice.  His 
savage  birth  and  life  were  indeed  but  additional  embellishments  of 
his  character  ;  and  while  he  restrained  the  inhuman  vices  of  his  tribe, 
he  checked  the  not  less  odious  avarice  of  his  new  and  more  civilized 
associates.  .  .  .  On  reaching  the  ships,  Manteo  wandered  about 
the  decks,  examining  every  part  of  them  with  the  curiosity  of  igno. 
ranee  ;  and  having  tasted  of  their  meat  and  of  their  wine,  and 
received  a  present  of  a  hat  and  some  other  trifles,  he  departed  again 


North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


to  his  own  boat  and  attendants.  He  then  put  off  into  the  water  and 
"fell  to  fishing,  and  in  less  than  half  an  hour  he  had  laden  his  boat 
as  deep  as  it  could  swim;"  and  then  he  came  back  to  the  shore, 
divided  his  fish  between  the  two  ships,  and  departed. 

The  next  day  Granganameo,  the  king's  brother,  with  a  fleet  of 
canoes,  entered  Ocracock  Inlet ;  and  leaving  his  boats,  as  Manteo  had 
done,  in  a  small  cove,  he  came  down  to  the  water's  edge  near  the 
ships.  He  was  attended  by  forty  or  fifty  men,  "  very  handsome  and 
goodly  people,  and  in  their  behavior  as  mannerly  and  civil  as  any  of 
Europe  ;"  and  they  spread  down  upon  the  shore  a  long  mat  or  carpet, 
upon  which  Granganameo  was  seated,  and  * '  at  the  other  end  of  this 
matte  four  others  of  his  company  did  the  like — the  rest  stood  about 
him  somewhat  afar  off." 

He  showed  no  signs  of  fear  or  mistrust  as  the  English,  dressed 
in  full  array  of  armor,  approached ;  but  he  sat  perfectly  unmoved, 
and  bade  them,  by  signs,  to  be  seated  near  him,  and  then  he  made 
them  "all  figures  of  joy  and  welcome — striking  on  his  breast  and  on 
his  head,  and  afterwards  on  ours,  to  show  we  were  all  one — smiling 
and  making  shewe  the  best  he  could,  of  all  love  and  familiaritie." 
After  this  welcome,  Granganameo  made  them  a  long  set  speech,  to 
which  Captain  Amadas  replied  by  presenting  him  with  divers  things, 
which  he  joyfully  received  ;  and  during  the  whole  ceremony  none  of 
the  company  of  attendants  spoke  a  word  audibly,  but  each  in  the 
other's  ear  very  softly. 

During  this  visit  the  voyagers  learned  that  the  country  was  called 
Wingandaceo,  and  that  the  king  was  named  Wingina,  and  that  his 
majesty  had  recently  had  a  fight,  In  "which  he  was  shot  in  two 
places  through  the  body,  and  once  clear  through  the  thigh,  by  reason 
whereof,  and  for  that  he  lay  at  the  chief  town  of  the  country,  which 
was  five  days  journey  off,  they  saw  him  not  at  all."  Thus,  by  the 
illness  of  the  king,  Granganameo  was  in  authority,  and  when  the 
captain  went  around  making  presents  to  the  company  of  attendants, 
he  rose  from  his  seat  and  took  them  all  away,  and  indicated  to  the 
voyagers  that  all  things  should  be  given  to  him,  and  that  the  men 
around  were  but  his  servants  and  his  followers. 

In  a  few  days  the  voyagers  commenced  trading  with  the  savages- 
for  skins,  and  such  other  commodities  as  they  possessed;  and  on 
showing  all  their  merchandise,  the  article  that  most  took  the  fancy  of 
Granganameo  was  a  large,  bright  tin  dish,  which  he  seized  and 
"clapt  it  before  his  breast,  and  after  made  a  hole  in  the  brim  thereof 
and  hung  it  about  his  neck,  making  signs  that  it  would  defend  him 
against  his  enemies'  arrows;  for  these  people  maintain  a  deadly  and 


Eakly  History. 


terrible  war  with  the  people  and  king  adjoining  They  exchanged 
the  tin  dish  for  twenty  skins,  worth  twenty  crowns,  and  a  copper 
kettle  for  fifty  skins,  worth  fifty  crowns." 

A  few  days  after  this,  the  captains  gave  a  collation  on  board  the 
ships,  and  Granganameo  came  with  all  his  retinue,  and  they  drank 
wine  and  ate  of  their  meat  and  of  their  bread,  and  were  exceedingly 
pleased;  and  in  a  few  days  more  he  brought  his  wife,  his  daughter 
and  two  or  three  children  on  board  the  ships.  His  wife  is  represented 
as  having  been  a  most  beautiful  and  modest  woman.  She  wore  a  long- 
black  cloak  of  leather,  with  the  fur  side  next  to  her  skin;  her  fore- 
head was  surmounted  with  a  band  of  white  coral,  and  from  her  ears 
swung,  even  down  to  her  waist,  bracelets  of  precious  pearl.  Her 
raven  hair  was  streaming  down  from  her  coral  crown,  and  intertwist- 
ing itself  with  her  earrings  of  pearl,  flowed  gracefully  back  over  her 
jetty  robe  in  wild  and  unshorn  luxuriance.  Granganameo,  too,  on  this 
occasion  was  dressed  in  state  ....  The  civility  and  kindness  of  the 
voyagers  were  well  appreciated  by  Granganameo  and  his  wife;  and 
they  spread  around  the  country  such  reports  of  their  good  will,  that 
"a  great  store  of  people"  came  down  to  Wokokon  to  see  the  strangers, 
and  to  trade  away  skins,  pearls,  coral  and  dyes.  During  all  this 
intercourse  nothing  occurred  to  give  dissatisfaction  on  either  side,  and 
in  a  few  days  we  find  Captain  Barlowe,  with  seven  comrades,  at 
Roanoke  Island  on  a  visit  to  Granganameo.  The  particulars  of  this 
visit  deserve  to  be  specially  detailed,  to  illustrate  not  more  the 
manners  and  customs  than  the  hospitality  of  the  uncorrupted  Ameri- 
can savage. 

On  the  north  point  of  Roanoke  Island  there  stood  an  Indian 
village  of  nine  houses.  Several  were  very  large  and  commodious 
dwellings,  being  built  of  the  best  cedar,  and  containing  as  many  as 
five  rooms.  The  town  was  fortified  by  a  circle  of  pickets,  and  the 
entrance  through  this,  into  the  interior  of  the  village,  was  over  a 
turnpike  path,  which  wound  around  from  the  water's  edge,  and 
entered  the  fortification  through  an  avenue  of  these  picketed  trees. 
This  was  the  town  of  Granganameo;  and  as  Captain  Barlowe  and  his 
company  approached  it  in  their  boats,  the  wife  of  the  good  savage, 
being  in  the  entrance  near  the  water's  edge,  saw  and  welcomed  them 
cheerfully  and  friendly. 

Granganameo  not  being  at  home,  the  civilities  of  the  tribe 
devolved  upon  his  wife,  and  generously  did  she  acquit  herself.  She 
ordered  a  number  of  men  to  draw  the  boats  out  of  the  water,  others 
she  appointed  to  carry  the  voyagers  on  their  backs,  and  when  they 
were  brought  in  the  outer  room,  she  gave  them  seats  around  a  large 


North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


fire.  Their  outer  garments,  which  had  been  wet  in  a  rain,  were  taken 
off,  quickly  washed  and  dried,  and  the  women  of  the  village  came 
and  brought  warm  water  and  bathed  their  feet.  My  reader,  I  have 
drawn  this  picture  not  from  my  imagination  but  from  history,  nor 
have  I  purloined  from  classic  annals  a  description  of  the  Golden  age, 
and  thrown  it  amid  the  scenery  of  Roanoke  Island;  but  this  good 
Indian  woman  deserves  to  live  renowned  in  the  history  of  North 
Carolina  as  a  good  Samaritan,  who  ministered  to  the  sorrows  of  the 
weary  and  distressed. 

■  But  Granganameo's  wife  was  not  satisfied  even  with  these  cordial 
attentions.  She  had  prepared,  in  the  words  of  Captain  Barlowe,  "a 
solemn  banquet"  wherewithal  to  refresh  them,  and  as  soon  as  they 
had  dried  themselves  and  reassumed  their  outer  garments,  they 
were  ushered  into  an  inner  room  to  enjoy  the  feast.  The  tables  were 
set  all  around  against  the  walls  of  the  house,  and  on  them  were 
placed  "some  wheate  like  furmentie,  venison,  sodden  and  roasted, 
fish  sodden,  boiled  and  roasted,  melons  raw  and  sodden,  roots  of 
divers  kinds,  and  divers  fruites."  Their  drink  was  wine  made  of 
the  grapes  of  the  island,  and  ginger-cinnamon  and  sassafras  water. 
Captain  Barlowe  exclaims,  "  We  were  entertained  with  all  love  and 
kindness,  and  with  as  much  bounty  after  their  manner  as  they  could 
possibly  devise.  We  found  the  people  most  gentle,  loving  and  faith- 
ful, and  such  as  live  after  the  manner  of  the  golden  age." 

The  house  of  Granganameo  comprised  five  rooms — the  hall  in 
which  the  voyagers  first  entered,  the  banquet  room,  and  then  came 
two  sleeping  chambers,  and  in  the  rear  of  them  all  was  the  sanctum 
in  which  they  kept  an  idol  to  bend  before  and  to  worship,  and  "of 
whom  they  spoke  incredible  things."  The  feast  went  off  gloriously. 
The  voyagers  gave  man}^  signs  of  their  pleasure  and  gratification, 
and  the  good  woman  implored  them  to  tarry  for  the  night ;  but  the 
prudent  Captain  Barlowe  preferred  lounging  in  an  open  boat  near  the 
shore  during  a  rainy  night,  lest  there  might  be  some  miscarriage. 
She,  however,  sent  them  mats  to  cover  with,  and  brought  down  to 
the  boat,  with  her  own  hands,  some  supper  put  in  pots  ;  and  Captain 
Barlowe  concludes  his  account  of  the  feast  by  declaring  that  a  more 
kind  or  loving  people  cannot  be  found  in  the  world. 

Let  us  now  see  what  information,  as  to  the  geographj^  of  the 
country,  these  voyagers  acquired.  The  Indian  name  of  the  Albemarle 
Sound  was  Occam,  and  into  it  flowed  a  river  named  Nomopana,  and 
near  the  mouth  of  this  river  was  a  town  called  Chowanook,  and  the 
name  of  the  king  thereof  was  Pooneno.  The  Pamlico  shores  of  the 
County   of    Carteret   were    called    Secotan,    and   those   of     Craven, 


RoAXOKE  Island. 


Pomonick.  Secotan  was  under  the  king  of  Wingandaceo,  and 
Pomonick  under  an  independent  king  named  Piamacum,  In  the 
interior,  towards  the  setting  sun,  the  country  was  called  Newisk, 
and  through  it  coursed  the  river  Neus.  The  king  of  this  country- 
was  in  alliance  with  Piamacum,  and  had  aided  him  in  a  war  against 
the  Secotans.  The  journal  of  Captain  Barlowe  speaks  too  of  a  river 
called  Cipo,  which  flowed  into  the  ocean,  in  which  were  found 
"  great  store  of  muscles"  producing  pearls,  and  constant  allusion  is 
made  to  a  great  town  called  Shicock,  which  was  said  to  be  five 
days'  journe}^  from  the  banks  of  the  Occam. 

There  was  a  tradition  about  Secotan,  that  some  3-ears  before  the 
arrival  of  the  voj'agers  a  ship  had  been  wrecked  on  the  coast,  and 
the  unfortunate  strangers  had  been  preserved  by  the  savages.  They 
remained  ten  daj-s  on  the  Southern  Cape  of  Wokokon  Island,  and 
afterwards  put  to  sea  in  a  rudely  constructed  craft  and  were  seen  no 
more.  Some  weeks  afterwards  their  boat  was  found  wrecked  on  a 
contiguous  island,  and  these  were  the  only  people  "well  apparelled 
and  of  white  color"  of  whom  the  Indians  had  ever  heard. 

I  will  here  conclude  ray  notices  of  the  vo3'age  of  Captains  Amadas 
and  Barlowe.  The  report  which  they  made  to  Sir  AValter  Raleigh 
gave  a  powerful  impulse  to  the  adventurous  spirit  of  the  whole  Brit- 
ish nation,  and  was  distinguished  at  that  da}-  as  the  very  beginning 
of  the  authorit}^  of  England  over  the  present  territory  of  the  United 
States.  A  rich  bracelet  of  pearl  was  carried  home  and  worn  by  Sir 
Walter  as  an  emblem  of  his  new  dominions  ;  and  Manteo  and  Wau- 
chese,  two  of  the  native  savages,  were  passengers  back  to  England, 
where  they  became  the  companions  of  the  noble  Lord  Proprietor  of 
Virginia. 

ROANOKE  ISLAND.* 

"Such,  is  the  aspect  of  this  shore, 
'Tis  Greece,  but  living  Greece  no  more; 
So  coldly  sweet,  so  deadly  fair. 
We  start,  for  soul  is  Avantiug  there." 

I  have  never  wandered  over  the  Island  of  Roanoke  without  a 
feeling  of  melancholy,  as  intense  as  that  of  Byron  whilst  contempla- 
ting the  fallen  greatness  of  Greece.  The  days  of  her  glory  are  over, 
and  gone  with  those  be^-ond  the  flood;  but  still  she  is  to  me  an  island 
of  the  heart,  for  her  shores  are  the  graves  of  the  warlike  and  the  wise. 
The  native  Indian  built  his  Machicomack  on  her  hills;  and  there,  too, 
stood  the  City  of  Raleigh,  the  birthplace  of  the  Anglo-American;  and 

*NoXE. — Extract  from,  the  "Picturesque  History  of  North  Carolina." 


lo  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

thus  was  Roanoke  known  long  before  the  beach  of  Jamestown  was 
settled  or  the  rock  of  Plymouth  consecrated.  She  is  the  classic  land 
of  all  English  America,  and  will  live  in  the  future  story  of  our 
Republic  as  the  mother-earth  of  American  liberty.  The  illustrious 
names  of  Raleigh,  of  Cavendish,  of  Grenville  and  of  Drake — the 
heroes  of  the  reign  of  Elizabeth — are  a  part  and  portion  of  her  his- 
tory. Hariot,  the  mathematician  and  philosopher  of  the  age,  for  the 
space  of  a  whole  year  studied  its  natural  resources  and  Indian 
History;  and  nearly  two  hundred  and  fifty  years  since  gave  to  the 
world  a  book  unequalled  for  the  accuracy  and  the  interest  of  its  details. 
It  would  seem,  indeed,  as  if  the  chivalry  and  learning  of  that  age  had 
contributed  this  splendid  representation,  to  give  a  dazzling  brilliancy 
to  the  early  history  of  that  State  on  whose  shores  the  flag  of  England 
was  first  unfurled,  and  in  whose  valleys,  and  over  whose  hills,  the 
mountain  Goddess  Liberty  first  shouted  the  cry  of  American  inde- 
pendence.    Bear  witness,  Mecklenburg,  on  the  20th  of  May,  1775. 

But  it  is  not  historic  association  alone  which  makes  sacred  the 
shores  and  the  vine-clad  forests  of  Roanoke.  Nature  seems  to  have 
exerted  herself  to  adorn  it  as  the  Eden  of  the  New  World.  The 
richest  garniture  of  flowers,  and  the  sweetest  minstrelsy  of  birds,  are 
there.  In  traversing  the  northern  section  of  the  island,  in  the  spring 
time  of  the  year,  flowers  and  sweet-scented  herbs,  in  the  wildest 
luxuriance,  are  strewn  along  your  winding  way,  welcoming  you  with 
their  fragrance  to  their  cherished  isle.  The  wild  rose  bush,  which  at 
times  springs  up  into  nurseries  of  one  hundred  yards  in  extent, 
"blooms  blushing"  to  the  song  of  the  thousand  birds  that  are  basking 
in  her  bowers.  The  mocking-bird,  too,  whatever  ornithologists  may 
say  of  its  "chimney  habits,"  makes  this  his  favorite  haunt;  and  I 
myself  have  seen  him  pillowed  on  the  highest  cluster  of  roses,  and 
swinging  with  his  weight  the  slender  tree,  as  he  warbled  out  his  most 
exquisite  song.  It  may  be,  however,  that  Roanoke  is  the  very  spot 
where,  in  imitation  of  the  Eastern  queen  of  song,  the  mocking-bird 
fell  in  love  with  the  rose. 

There  are  stately  pine  forests  extending  along  the  centre  of  the 
island;  but  the  most  beautiful  of  its  trees  are  what  are  commonly 
called  dogwood,  the  laurel,  and  a  delicate  species  of  the  white  oak. 
I  have  seen  a  forest  composed  of  these  trees,  the  branches  and  limbs 
of  which  were  literally  intertwisted  and  knitted  together  by  the 
embraces  of  the  Roanoke  vine,  which  here,  in  its  native  garden, 
grows  with  extraordinary  exuberance. 

Within  the  deep  shades  of  these  reclining  vintages,  the  spirit  of 
solitude  at  times  reigns  in  undisturbed  majest3\     At  midday,  when 


Roanoke  Island.  il 


the  heat  of  the  summer's  sun  is  too  glowing  for  exertion,  there  is  not 
the  chirp  of  a  bird  to  break  the  solemnity  of  the  spot.  The  long  and 
slender  vine  snake,  which  at  other  hours  is  seen  industriously 
threading  his  way  through  the  mazes  of  the  vintage,  has  now  sus- 
pended himself  on  a  twig,  and  hangs  as  idle  and  as  still  as  a  black 
silk  cord.  If  you  hear  the  tread  of  footsteps,  it  is  not  of  man,  but 
the  stealthy  retreat  of  an  unsuspecting  fawn,  which  hath  slept  too- 
long,  and  which  now,  like  a  woodland  nymph,  hies  away  on  the 
approach  of  man.  But  in  the  morning  and  in  the  evening  this  scene 
of  quiet  and  of  repose  is  all  changed.  It  is  then  the  granary  of  the 
island,  and  the  birds  have  all  assembled  and  are  warbling  in  bacchanal 
confusion  their  morning  or  evening  hymn.  The  scenery  of  Roanoke 
is  neither  grand  nor  sublime.  There  are  no  Alpine  summits  ta 
mingle  with  clouds,  but  a  series  of  gentle  undulations,  and  a  few 
abrupt  hills,  in  the  valleys  of  which  the  richly  dressed  scenery  I  have 
described  may  be  found.  If  it  should  ever  be  the  lot  of  the  reader  tO' 
stroll  under  the  vintage  shades  of  Roanoke — made  impervious  to  the 
rays  of  the  sun  by  the  rich  foliage  and  clustering  grapes  above  him — 
he  will  not  venture  to  discredit  the  highly  wrought  sketches  of 
Hariot,  nor  mock  the  humbler  enthusiasm  of  the  volume  now  before 
him.  I  remember  once  to  have  stood  upon  the  loftiest  eminence  of 
the  island,  and  to  have  watched  the  progress  of  a  sunset.  It  was  on  a 
summer's  eve  which  had  been  made  peculiarly  clear  by  a  violent 
thunder  squall  the  preceding  night,  and  not  a  film  of  a  cloud  or  a 
vapor  was  to  be  seen  about  the  horizon  or  in  the  blue  vault  of  heaven. 
There  was  not  a  breath  of  air  to  stir  the  slender  leaf  of  the  few  lofty 
pines  that  straggled  around  me,  and  even  the  mocking-bird  seemed 
to  have  hushed  his  capricious  song,  to  enjoy  the  intense  feeling  of 
the  moment.  To  the  westward  of  the  island,  the  waters  of  the  Albe- 
marle crept  sluggishly  along;  and  in  the  winding  current  of  the 
Swash  several  vessels  stood,  with  outspread  but  motionless  wings. 
Away  down  to  the  south,  the  Pamlico  spread  itself  out,  like  an 
ocean  of  molten  gold,  gleaming  along  the  banks  of  the  Chikama- 
comico  and  Hatteras;  and,  contrasted  with  this,  were  the  dark  waters 
which  separate  Roanoke  from  the  sea-beach,  and  which  were  now 
shaded  from  the  tints  of  the  sunset  by  the  whole  extent  of  the  island. 
A  sea  of  glory  streamed  along  the  narrow  ridge — dividing  the 
inland  waters  from  the  ocean;  and  beyond  this  the  boundless  Atlantic 
heaved  her  chafed  bosom  of  sapphire  and  of  gold  against  the  base  of 
yon  stormy  cape.  I  enjoyed  and  lived  in  that  sunset  and  twilight 
hour.  I  thought  of  the  glorious  destiny  of  the  land  on  which  I  trod — as 
glorious  as  the  waters  and  the  earth  then  around  me.     I  thought  of 


12  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

the  genius  and  the  death  of  Raleigh — of  the  heroic  devotedness  of 
Grenville — of  the  gallantry  of  Cavendish  and  Drake — cf  the  learning 
of  Hariot — of  the  nobleness  of  Manteo,  the  Lord  of  Roanoke — of  the 
adventurous  expedition  of  Sir  Ralph  I^ane  up  the  river  Moratock —  of 
the  savage  array  of  the  bloodthirsty''  Wingina — of  the  melancholy  fate 
of  the  last  of  the  Raleigh  colonies — of  Virginia  Dare,  the  first  Anglo- 
American — of  the  agony  of  her  mother — and  I  then  thought  of  those 
exquisite  lines  of  Byron, 

"Shrine  of  tlie  might}',  can  it  be 
That  this  is  all  remains  of  thee?" 

ROANOKE  COLONY  MEMORIAL  ASSOCIATION. 

The  Roanoke  Colony  Memorial  Association  was  organized  in  the 
Spring  of  1894.  The  chief  agents  in  its  organization  were  Prof. 
Edward  Graham  Daves,  of  Baltimore;  Dr.  S.  Weir  Mitchell  and  Mr. 
Talcott  Williams,  of  Philadelphia.  Earlier  than  this  Prof.  Daves, 
who  was  a  North  Carolinian  by  birth,  had  made  a  tour  in  North  Car- 
olina, lecturing  for  the  benefit  of  the  scheme. 

At  the  first  meeting,  which  was  held  in  May,  1894,  Prof.  Daves 
was  elected  president;  Mr.  W.  D.  Pruden  of  Edenton,  vice  president; 
and  Dr.  J.  S.  Bassett  of  Trinity  College,  secretary  and  treasurer.  In 
the  succeeding  July  Prof.  Daves  died,  and  the  vacancy  thus  made  was 
filled  by  the  election  of  his  brother,  Maj.  Graham  Daves,  of  New- 
bern,  N.  C. 

The  Company  has  bought  the  site  of  the  Raleigh  Fort  on  Roa- 
noke Island,  which  it  has  marked  clearly,  and  it  intends  to  preserve 
the  site  as  it  stands,  and  to  erect  permanent  memorials  of  the  Lost 
Colony. 

VIRGINIA  DARE  MEMORIAL  ASSOCIATION. 

An  organization  under  the  above  title  has  been  efiected  in  North 
Carolina.  The  object  of  the  Association  is  to  erect  a  permanent 
memorial  to  the  memor)'-  of  Virginia  Dare.  Mrs.  Florence  P.  Tucker, 
of  Raleigh,  is  president,  and  Mrs.  Sallie  S.  Cotten,  of  Falkland,  is 
secretary. 

Virginia  Dare  was  the  first  white  child  born  in  North  America, 
of  English-speaking  parents.  It  is  also  significant  that  the  first 
Christian  sacrament  in  America  was  the  baptism  of  Manteo,  an 
Indian,  and  Virginia  Dare,  infant  native  white  American,  which 
occurred  on  Roanoke  Island,  North  Carolina,  in  August,  1587. 


VIEWS    AT    MOREHEAD   AND    BEAUFORT. 


The  Revolution.  13. 


THE  REVOLUTION. 

North  Carolina  was  most  forward  in  resisting  the  arbitrary- 
aggressions  of  the  British  Government.  The  first  pitched  battle 
against  governmental  tyranny  was  at  Alamance,  May  12,  1771.  The 
first  legislative  body  in  defiance  of  the  Royal  Governor  was  at  New- 
bern,  Aug.  25,  1774.  The  General  Assembly  had  placed  on  its 
seal  May  20,  1775,  as  the  date  of  the  first  declaration  of  independence. 

[The  skirmish  at  Lexington  on  April  19,  1775,  although  insignif- 
icant in  itself,  fired  the  American  heart ;  the  news  of  the  encounter 
reached  Charlotte,  in  Mecklenburg  county,  on  the  19th  of  May  fol- 
lowing, and  on  the  next  day,  May  20,  the  patriots  of  Mecklenburg 
met  in  convention  and  declared  the  independence  of  the  colonies. 
The  cause  of  Massachusetts  and  of  New  England  was  theirs  also,  and 
a  blow  struck  there  in  furtherance  of  British  aggression  must  ulti- 
mately be  repeated  in  North  Carolina;  hence  this  bold  and  patriotic 
action.] 

In  the  winter  of  1775-76,  North  Carolina  troops  under  Howe  helped 
drive  Lord  Dunmore  from  Virginia.  In  February,  1 776,  the  Tory  High- 
landers were  crushed  at  Moore's  Creek  bridge.  On  April  25,  1776, 
North  Carolina,  first  of  all  the  colonies,  empowered  her  delegates  to 
the  Continental  Congress  to  vote  for  independence.  In  the  next 
month  her  troops  assisted  to  repel  the  British  fleet  at  Charleston.  In 
the  same  Summer  her  militia  under  Rutherford,  marching  over  track- 
less mountains,  effectively  humbled  the  hostile  Cherokees.  Her 
troops  fought  gallantly  under  Washington  at  Brandywine,  German- 
town  and  Monmouth  and  were  among  the  picked  men  to  storm 
Stony  Point  under  Wayne.  By  their  stubborn  endurance  and  pluck 
her  people  thwarted  Cornwallis'  attempt  to  subjugate  the  Carolinas 
and  Virginia.  They  furnished  troops  and  leaders  for  capturing  Fer- 
guson at  King's  Mountain.  They  aided  Green  in  crippling  Corn- 
wallis at  Guilford  Court  House,  and  the  virtual  victory  of  Butaw 
Springs. 

By  the  patriotism  of  Kx-Judge  David  Schenck,  the  battlefield  of 
Guilford  Court  House  has  been  purchased,  and  converted  into  a 
beautiful  park,  with  appropriate  monuments  to  the  gallant  heroes  of 
the  action. 

AFTER  THE  REVOLUTION. 

After  the  Revolution  the  State  steadily  increased  in  population 
and  wealth,  albeit  hindered  by  two  causes.  In  the  first  place,  as  she 
then  had  no  good  accessible  harbors  within  her  limits,  she  was  denied 
the  striking  evidences  of  prosperity  which  attend  the  building  of  great 


14  North  Caroi^ina  and  its  Resources. 

cities.  The  handling  of  her  products  enriched  the  merchants  of 
Charleston,  Norfolk,  Richmond,  Baltimore  and  New  York.  Then 
the  opening  for  purchase  at  government  rates  of  immense  areas  of 
fertile  lands  in  the  West  and  Southwest  carried  off  many  of  her 
citizens  with  all  their  substance  to  build  up  Indiana,  Tennessee, 
Georgia,  Alabama,  Mississippi  and  other  States. 

The  following  table  taken  from  the  census  books  shows  that  there 
was  no  backward  step: 

Year.  Population. 

1790 393.751 

1800 478,103 

1810 555,500 

1820 638,829 

1830 737.987 

1840 753.419 

1850 869,038 

i860 992,622 

1870 1,071,361 

1880 1,399.750 

1890 1,617,947 

This  population  is  of  a  singularly  homogeneous  character.  The 
immigrants  in  early  days,  Virginians  (mainly  English),  Penn- 
sylvanians  (mainly  Scotch-Irish  and  German),  Scotch-Irish,  Scotch 
Highlanders  and  Lowlanders,  Swiss,  French,  Huguenots,  Germans 
from  the  Rhine  and  elsewhere,  have  fused  by  inter-marriages  or  busi- 
ness or  social  communication  into  a  homogeneous  people  of  steady, 
orderly  and  friendly  habits.  The  relations  between  masters  and 
slaves  were  singularly  free  from  cruelty  on  the  one  side  and  insolent 
spirit  of  rebellion  on  the  other.  And  after  emancipation  there  was 
little  friction  in  the  adjustment  of  the  new  relation  of  employer  and 
employee. 

PROPRIETARY  AND  ROYAL  GOVERNMENT. 

The  attempts  of  Sir  Walter  Raleigh  having  signally  failed,  no 
further  attempts  at  colonization  were  made  for  three-quarters  of  a 
century.  In  1629,  a  charter  was  granted  by  Charles  I.  of  England  to 
Sir  Robert  Heath  of  the  Southern  part  of  Virginia,  I^atitudes  31°  to  36°, 
under  the  name,  in  honor  of  that  king,  of  Carolina.  As  Heath  did 
nothing  under  it,  a  renewal  was  granted  in  1663  to  eight  Lords 
Proprietors,  and  an  enlargement  to  36°  30^  and  29°,  two  years 
afterwards.  The  first  permanent  settlement  in  the  limits  of  North 
Carolina  was  called  the  County  of  Albemarle.  The  Lords  Proprietors 
appointed  Governors  of  Albemarle,  and  then  Governors,  or  Deputy 


Proprietary  and  Royal  Government.  15 

Governors,  of  North  Carolina  until  1728.  Seven  of  tliem  then  sold 
their  interests  to  the  Crown,  Lord  Carteret,  afterwards  Earl  Granville, 
yielding  the  right  of  government,  but  retaining  his  one-eight  interest 
in  the  land  of  all  Carolina.  In  1744  he  obtained  a  grant  in  severalty 
of  about  one-half  of  North  Carolina,  next  to  the  Virginia  line.  The 
colony  was  therefore  under  the  crown  from  1728  to  the  Revolution. 

The  colonists  have  been  charged  by  some  historians  as  of  a 
turbulent  character,  but  it  seems  certain  that  their  civil  commotions 
were  on  account  of  real  grievances,  and  were  not  more  frequent  nor 
violent  than  in  Massachusetts  and  Rhode  Island,  Virginia  and  South 
Carolina.  They  had  the  wisdom  to  discern  attacks  on  their  rights 
and  bravery  to  resent  them. 

The  Tuscarora  war  of  1711  brought  terrible  losses  of  life  and 
property  to  the  young  colony.  By  the  aid  of  troops  from  South 
Carolina  the  uprising  was  quickly  suppressed.  Afterwards  in  the 
Yemassee  Indian  war.  North  Carolina  repaid  her  neighbor  by  send- 
ing prompt  and  efficient  succor  under  Col.  Maurice  Moore.  She  like- 
wise sent  troops  to  aid  the  unsuccessful  attempt  on  Carthagena,  and 
to  Virginia  and  New  York  to  fight  against  the  French  and  Indians. 

THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

North  Carolina  was  not  forward  in  adopting  secession.  The 
people  by  a  small  majority  in  February,  1861,  voted  down  the  pro- 
posal to  call  a  convention  to  consider  Federal  relations.  Bat  when 
coercion  by  the  United  States  Government  was  resolved  upon,  a  con- 
vention was  called,  and,  on  May  20,  1861,  an  ordinance  of  secession 
was  passed  by  unanimous  vote,  and  it  was  supported  by  large  kvies 
of  money  and  troops.  It  was  not  the  policy  of  the  Confederacy  to 
defend  seriously  the  North  Carolina  coast, and  by  the  Spring  of  1S62 
the  whole  of  the  country  from  Beaufort  to  the  Virginia  line  was  in  the 
hands  of  the  Federals.  Plymouth  was,  however,  recaptured  with 
nearly  two  thousand  prisoners  by  the  Confederates  under  General 
Hoke,  but  in  a  few  months  it  was  lost  again,  the  Cuufederates  Laving 
previously  been  ordered  to  Virginia.  Fort  Fisher  at  the  nioath  of 
the  Cape  Fear  was  defended  with  conspicuous  courage  for  many 
months,  thus  enabling  Confederate  vessels  to  evade  the  blockade  and 
introduce  large  supplies  of  necessaries,  such  as  cloth,  blankets,  shoes, 
medicine,  &c.,  for  the  use  of  our  soldiers.  And  this  was  brought  about 
by  the  efforts  of  Governor  Zebulon  B.  Vance,  seconded  by  the  votes 
of  the  Legislature  in  authorizing  large  increase  of  bonds  and  treasury 
notes.  A  sharp  but  indecisive  battle  was  fought  at  Bentonsville  near 
the  close  of  the  struggle,  but  the  valor  and  the  sacrifices  of  the  sol- 


North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


diers  of  North  Carolina  were  chiefly  in  the  great  campaigns  of  Vir- 
ginia, Maryland  and  Pennsylvania,  and  to  a  less  extent  in  Tennessee 
and  South  Carolina. 

The  records  of  the  War  Department  at  Washington,  comprising 
forty-nine  volumes  of  about  one  thousand  pages  each,  furnish  a 
statistical  history  of  the  war.  The  result  is  impartial  and  represents 
the  combined  labors  of  five  Federal  and  two  Confederate  oflScers. 
The  casualties  on  both  sides  are  recorded.  The  tables  of  dead  and 
wounded  show  that  on  the  Confederate  side  North  Carolina  lost  more 
soldiers  killed  than  any  other  Southern  State,  as  follows:  14,522;  and 
that  she  headed  the  list  in  the  number  that  died  of  wounds,  and  that 
20,602  of  her  soldiers  perished  of  disease.  Her  military  population 
in  1 861  was  115,369,  yet  she  furnished  125,000  to  the  Confederate 
cause. 


GENERAL  SKETCH. 


The  State  of  North  Carolina  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  Virginia, 
east  by  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  south  by  South  Carolina  and  Georgia  and 
west  by  Tennessee.  It  is  included  nearly  between  the  parallels  34° 
and  36^°  north  latitude,  and  between  the  meridians  75^°  and  84)^° 
west  longitude. 

The  extreme  length  of  the  State  from  east  to  west  is  503 J/4  miles; 
its  average  breath  is  100  miles;  its  extreme  breadth  is  iS'j}4  miles. 
Its  area  embraces  52,286  square  miles,  of  which  48,666  is  land,  and 
3,620  is  water. 

Its  topography  may  be  best  conceived  by  picturing  to  the  mind's 
eye  the  surface  of  the  State  as  a  vast  declivity,  sloping  down  from  the 
summits  of  the  Smoky  Mountains,  an  altitude  of  nearly  7,000  feet,  to 
the  level  of  the  Atlantic  Ocean.  The  Smoky  Mountains  constitute  a 
part  of  the  great  Appalachian  chain,  which  here  attains  its  greatest 
height;  the  greatest,  indeed,  in  the  United  States,  east  of  the  Rocky 
Mountains.  This  slope  is  made  up  of  three  wide  extended  terraces — 
if  that  term  may  be  allowed;  the  first  a  high  mountain  plateau — dis- 
tinguished as  the  Western  or  Mountain  Section;  the  second,  a  sub- 
montane plateau,  distinguished  as  the  Middle  Section,  or  the  Pied- 
mont Plateau  region;  the  third,  the  Atlantic  plain,  distinguished 
as  the  Low  Country  or  the  Coastal  Plain  region,  and  that  part  from 
the  head  of  the  tides  downward  as  the  Tide-water  Section.  From 
the  first  to  the  second  section  there  is  a  sharp  descent  through  a  few 


'  V'^^  "m —  '       -itn''  i-ihH"" iijiiinmiMCiwiBnii 


SOUTHERN    RAILWAY     -ASCENT    OF    BLUE    RIDGE  —  THROUGH    TWO    TUNNELS. 


General  Sketch.  17 


miles  only  of  not  less  than  1,500  feet;  from  the  middle  to  the  low 
country  a  descent  of  about  200  feet;  through  the  two  latter,  however, 
there  is  a  constant  downward  grade. 

THE  MOUNTAIN  REGION. 

This  is  so  sharply  and  distinctly  defined,  and  embraces  so  large 
a  portion  of  the  territory  of  North  Carolina,  as  to  merit  a  somewhat 
extended  reference  to  its  magnitude,  its  elevation  and  its  character- 
istics. Broadly  considered  it  may  be  treated  as  a  high  plateau, 
bounded  on  the  east  bj''  the  irregular  chain  known  as  the  Blue  Ridge, 
extending  across  the  State  in  a  general  direction  from  northeast 
to  southwest,  until,  reaching  the  southeastern  border  of  Hender- 
son county,  it  turns  to  the  west  and  forms  for  a  long  distance  part  of 
the  southern  boundary  of  the  State,  passing  at  length  by  a  southwest 
projection  into  the  State  of  Georgia,  and  again  reuniting  with  the 
chain  of  the  Smoky  Mountains,  to  which  it  had  made  near  approach 
on  its  entry  into  North  Carolina  in  the  counties  of  Ashe  and 
Watauga. 

The  average  elevation  of  the  Blue  Ridge  is  nearl}^  4,000  feet, 
though  on  the  southern  and  northern  extremities  it  drops  to  3,000 
feet,  its  lower  gaps  being  a  little  above  2,000  feet  over  the  main  level 
of  the  Piedmont  country.  Seen  from  the  east,  the  chain  presents  the 
aspect  of  a  steep  and  rugged  escarpment  springing  suddenly  from  the 
Piedmont  plateau  to  an  altitude  of  from  2,000  to  3,000  feet  above  it. 
From  the  west  the  appearance  is  that  of  a  low  and  ill-defined  ridge,  in 
some  places,  as  in  parts  of  Henderson  and  Macon  Counties,  presenting 
almost  a  smooth,  unbroken  horizontal  line;  again  uplifting  itself  in 
bold  prominence,  attaining  the  height  of  nearly  6,000  feet,  as  in  the 
Grandfather,  and  the  Pinnacle,  the  conspicuous  summits  so  attractively- 
visible  near  Round  Knob,  on  the  Western  North  Carolina  Railroad. 

The  v/estern  boundarj^  of  this  division  is  that  long  chain  known 

under  the  various  names  of  the  Iron,  the  Smoky,  and  the  Uuaka 

Mountains,  and  forming  the  dividing  line  between  North  Carolina  and 

Tennessee,  and  enclosing  with  marked  definiteness  the  plateau  of 

Western  North  Carolina.     The  area  of  this  division  approximates 

6,000  square  miles.     The  plateau  is  the  culminating  region  of  the 

Appalachian  sj^stem,  and  contains  not  only  its  largest  masses,  but  also 

its  highest  summits.     It  is  divided  by  a  number  of  cross  ridges,  and 

consequently  into  a  number  of  smaller  plateaus  or  basins,  each  bounded 

on   all   sides   by   high    mountains  and  having  its  own  independent 

system  of  rivers  or  drainage.     It  is  this  connection  or  interlacing  of  the 

outside  bounding  chains  by  the  agency  of  the  numerous  cross  chains 
2 


1 8  North  Caroi^ina  and  its  Resources. 

that  gives  Western  Nortli  Carolina  its  marked  mountain  character,  its 
alternation  of  high  mountain  ranges  with  corresponding  valleys  and 
their  attendant  rivers,  and  the  numerous  lateral  spurs,  penetrated  also 
by  their  valleys  and  their  mountain  torrents,  and  all  arranged  with 
an  order  and  a  symmetry  as  rare  as  it  is  beautiful,  and  also  presenting 
facilities  for  communication  from  the  opposite  sides  of  these  chains  of 
ifflestimable  value  in  the  construction  of  works  of  internal  improvement 
not  often  possessed  by  mountain  countries. 

The  chief  of  these  in  exceptional  elevation  is  known  as  the 
Black  Mountains,  consisting  of  a  single  short  ridge  extending  in  a 
northly  direction  from  the  point  where  it  leaves  the  Blue  Ridge.  Its 
total  length  is  only  about  fifteen  miles,  but  within  this  short  distance 
there  are  a  dozen  peaks  that  rise  to  an  elevation  of  more  than  6,000 
feet  above  the  sea,  and  one  of  these — Mitchell's  Peak — the  highest 
mountain  on  the  eastern  half  of  the  continent,  has  an  altitude  of  6,711 
feet.  Between  the  French  Broad  and  the  Pigeon  rivers  stretches  the 
long  ridges  of  the  Pisgah  and  the  New  Found  mountains,  interrupted 
b}''  the  valley  of  Hominy  creek,  the  opening  of  v/hich  offers  conven- 
ient passway  to  the  next  parallel  ridge,  the  Balsam  mountains,  which 
extends  in  unbroken  continuity  from  the  South  Carolina  line  on  the 
south  to  the  Smoky  Mountains  on  the  Tennessee  border  on  the  north. 
This  range  has  a  mean  elevation  of  about  5,500  feet,  with  fifteen 
summits  exceeding  6,000  feet;  and  across  the  range  are  only  two  pass- 
ways  or  gaps  suitable  to  the  passage  of  wheeled  vehicles,  one  of 
which,  traversed  by  the  Western  North  Carolina  railroad,  is  3,357 
feet  above  sea-level;  the  other,  Soco  Gap,  being  4,341  feet  high. 
Then  comes  the  Cowee  mountains,  extending  nearly  across  the  State, 
and  separated  from  the  Great  Smokies  by  the  narrow  valley  of  the 
Tuckasegee  river.  The  mean  height  of  this  ridge  is  about  4,800 
feet,  the  highest  summit,  at  the  southern  end,  being  Yellow  moun- 
tain, 5,133  feet.  Then  succeeds  the  massive  and  very  bold  double 
chaia  of  the  Nantahala  and  Valley  River  mountains,  with  a  mean 
height  of  5,000  feet,  the  two  branches  of  which  lie  in  close  parallelism 
from  the  Georgia  State  line  on  the  south  as  far  as  the  Red  Marble 
Gap  on  the  north,  where  they  separate,  one  branch  directed  west- 
ward and  known  as  the  Long  Ridge,  and  uniting  itself  with  the 
Smoky  mountains  in  Cherokee  county;  the  other  extending  to  the 
northeast,  under  the  name  of  the  Cheowah  mountains,  and  ending 
without  definite  connection  in  undefinable  ridges  or  isolated  peaks. 

On  the  east  side  of  the  Blue  Ridge  and  extending  into  the  Pied- 
mont region  are  a  series  of  short  and  irregular  ridges  or  spurs. 
Among  these   ate   the   Saluda,    Green    River,  Tryon   and   Hungry 


The  Mountain  Region.  19 

mountain  masses,  which  are  more  or  less  separated  from  the  Blue 
Ridge  by  the  deep  valleys  or  gorges  carved  by  the  river  torrents 
which  have  cut  through  them  and  thus  unite  with  the  waters  flowing 
toward  the  Atlantic;  the  waters  on  the  west  of  the  Blue  Ridge,  on 
the  contrary,  all  directing  their  courses  toward  the  Mississippi  or  its 
tributaries.  Two  other  and  more  prominent  ridges  extend  into  this 
Piedmont  plateau  for  considerable  distances.  The  South  mountains, 
commencing  as  foot  hills  of  the  Blue  Ridge  in  western  McDowell, 
extend  in  a  general  easterly  direction,  south  of  the  Catawba  river  to 
western  Catawba  county,  a  distance  of  some  fifty  miles.  They  reach 
their  maximum  development  near  the  junction  of  Burke,  McDowell 
and  Rutherford  counties,  where  several  knobs  have  an  elevation  of 
near  3,000  feet.  The  other  of  these  two  ridges,  the  Brushy  moun- 
tains, cutoff  from  the  Blue  Ridge  at  the  west  by  several  tributaries 
of  the  Catawba  assumes  definite  proportions  in  eastern  Caldwell 
county  and  extends  northeast  more  or  less  parallel  to  the  Yadkin 
valley  and  Blue  Ridge  on  the  north,  as  far  as  the  Sauratown  moun- 
tains in  Stokes  county,  a  distance  of  some  eighty  miles.  In  Yadkin 
and  Surry  counties  these  mountains  nearly  disappear,  but  they  reap- 
pear in  Pilot,  Eaton  and  Moor's  Knobs  to  the  northeast. 

The  Linville  mountains,  though  a  distinct  spur  from  the  Blue 
Ridge,  are  so  coincident  with  it  in  perspective  and  in  general  char- 
acteristics as  to  need  no  mention  as  a  distinct  ridge. 

The  above  embrace  the  whole  mountain  system  of  North  Carolina, 
and  in  the  western  section  unmistakably  present  the  culmination  of 
the  great  Appalachian  system,  as  illustrated  by  the  highest  summits 
lifted  up  in  all  the  territory  of  the  United  States  east  of  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  and  also  as  the  source  from  which  many  large  rivers 
radiate  to  flow  towards  the  opposite  directions  of  the  Atlantic  Ocean, 
the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  and  the  Mississippi  river  and  its  tributaries. 

Along  the  Blue  Ridge,  along  the  Smoky  mountain  range,  and 
along  the  cross  chains  are  found  the  following  summits  which  exceed 
6,000  feet  in  elevation: 

In  the  Smoky  Mountains  —  Mount  Buckley,  6,599;  Cling- 
man's  Dome,  6,660;  Mount  Love,  6,443;  Mount  Collins,  6,188;  Mount 
Alexander,  6,447;  Mount  Henry,  6,373;  Mount  Guyot,  6,636;  Tri- 
corne  Knob,  6,188;  Raven's  Knob,  6,230;  Thermometer  Knob,  6,157; 
lyuftee  Knob,  6,232;  Cataloochee,  6,159;  Roan  (High  Knob,)  6,313; 
Roan  (High  Bluff",)  6,287;  Grassy  Ridge,  (Bald,)  6,220;  Cold  Spring, 
6,015. 

In  The  Balsam  Mountains — Enos  Plotts'  Balsam,  6,090; 
Jones'  Balsam,  6,224;    Rockstand  Knob,  6,002;    Brother  Plott,  6,246; 


20  North  Carouna  and  its  Rejsources. 


Amos  Plott's  Balsam,  6,278;  Rocky  Face,  6,031;  Double  Spring 
Mountain,  6,380;  Richland  Balsam,  6,370;  Chimney  Peak,  6,234; 
Spruce  Ridge  Top,  6,076;  Reinhardt  Mountain,  6,106;  Devil's  Court 
House,  6,049;  Sam's  Knob,  6,001. 

In  the;  Black  Mountains — Blackstock's  Knob,  6,378;  Potato 
Top,  6,393;  Black  Dome,  6,502;  Mount  Gibbs,  6,591;  Mount  Hall- 
back,  (or  Sugar  loaf,)  6,403;  Mount  Mitchell,  6,711;  Balsam  Cone, 
6,671;  Black  Brother,  6,619;  Cattail  Peak,  6,611;  Hairy  Bear,  6,681; 
Deer  Mountain,  6,233;  I^ong  Ridge,  (middle  point,)  6,259;  Bowlen's 
Pyramid,  6,348. 

In  the;  Craggy  Range; — Big  Craggy,  6,068. 

In  all  forty-three  peaks  of  6,000  feet  and  upwards.  And  there 
are  eighty-two  mountains  which  exceed  in  height  5,000  feet,  and 
closely  approximate  6,000,  and  the  number  which  exceed  4,000  and 
approximate  5,000  are  innumerable. 

The  general  contour  of  all  these  mountains  is  gentle,  the  summits 
generally  presenting  smooth  rounded  outlines,  occasionally  rising  into 
sharp  pointed  peaks,  and,  except  on  the  southern  border,  presenting 
but  few  precipitous  slopes.  There,  some  of  the  most  stupendous  cliffs 
or  precipices  east  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  present  themselves,  such 
as  Caesar's  Head  and  Whiteside  Mountain,  the  latter  presenting  a  sheer 
perpendicular  front  of  naked  rock  eighteen  hundred  feet  in  height. 

Otherwise  the  mountains  are  covered  with  deep  rich  soil,  clothed 
with  massive  forests  to  their  tops.  To  this  general  condition  there  is 
the  remarkable  exception  presented  by  the  locally  named  balds, 
natural  meadows  found  on  the  rounded  tops  of  many  of  the  highest 
mountains.  Their  elevation  is  generally  near,  or  above,  6,000  feet. 
The  heavy  forest  growth  of  the  valleys  and  lower  slopes  of  the  moun- 
tains is  gradually  dwarfed  towards  the  bald  summits,  so  that  these 
are  surrounded  by  a  fringe  of  stunted,  scrubby  oaks,  beeches,  &c., 
the  balds  themselves  being  covered  with  a  rich  herbage  of  grass,  pas- 
turage to  which  large  herds  of  domestic  animals  are  annually  driven 
to  remain  until  the  return  of  cold  weather. 

The  great  elevation  of  these  mountain  heights  is  indicated  by 
the  botanical  features  of  the  vegetation,  which  shows  a  predominance 
of  firs,  hemlocks,  white  pines,  and  other  trees  of  high  latitudes. 

In  respect  to  those  timber  trees  found  here,  in  common  with  the 
other  sections,  the  Mountain  region  has  the  advantage  of  possessing 
an  unbroken  forest.  In  comparison  with  the  extent  of  forest  lands, 
the  clearings  here  are  mere  patches. 

There  is  little  hazard  in  saying  that  there  is  nowhere  in  any  of 
the  States  an  equal  area  of  land  covered  with  timber  trees  of  such 


THE    C??AGGY    CHAIN  — BIG   CRAGGY, 


The;  Mountain  Region.  21 

various  kinds,  and  of  such  value.  The  walnut,  tulip  trees,  (poplars), 
and  oaks  attain  a  size  that  would  hardly  be  credited  by  one  who  had 
not  seen  them.  The  preservation  of  this  magnificent  forest  is  due  to 
the  fact  that  it  has  hitherto  been  inaccessible  to  transportation. 
Within  the  past  few  years  much  of  it  has  been  brought  into  connec- 
tion with  the  markets  of  the  world.  One  railroad  line  passes  entirely 
through  this  section,  and  another  branching  off  at  Asheville  and 
leading  to  the  extreme  southwest  of  the  State,  is  now  completed. 
Into  the  northwestern  part  of  the  State  also  a  railroad  has  been 
completed  and  others  projected. 

The  cultivated  productions  of  this  section  are  the  same  as 
those  of  the  Piedmont  Plateau  region,  cotton  and  rice  excepted. 
Its  garden  vegetables  are  the  same,  but  the  cabbage  and  the 
Irish  potato  grow  here  to  a  degree  of  perfection  that  cannot 
be  excelled  anywhere.  Among  the  fruits,  its  apples  are  noted 
for  size  and  flavor.  Peaches  and  grapes  grow  well  generally; 
but,  for  their  highest  perfection,  nature  has  made  provisions  by 
a  suspension  to  some  extent  of  her  ordinary  laws.  Throughout 
the  mountains,  in  certain  localities  and  at  certain  elevations, 
there  are  horizontal  belts  where  frost  is  seldom  known.  Such 
localities  are  found  not  only  in  this  section,  but  in  the  South 
mountains  and  in  the  Brushy  range. 

The  climate  of  this  Mountain  region  differs  less  from  that  of  the 
Piedmont  Plateau  region  than  would  be  inferred  from  its  higher  alti- 
tude. The  difi"erence  is  more  perceptible  in  summer  than  in  winter. 
In  the  former  season,  its  cool  and  bracing  air,  together  with  its  varied 
scenery,  its  mineral  waters — sulphur,  chab.-beate  and  thermal — made 
this  section  one  of  the  favorite  resorts  of  the  people  of  the  South  and 
Southwest  when  it  could  only  be  reached  by  private  convej^ances. 
Since  it  has  been  penetrated  by  railroads,  the  influx  of  health  and 
pleasure-seekers  has  increased  an  hundred  fold,  and  in  future  will 
add  very  largely  to  its  resources. 

The  soils  of  the  basins  of  the  great  rivers  of  this  section,  and  its 
mountain  valleys,  are  noted  for  their  fertilit3^  The  capacity  for  the 
production  of  cereals  and  hay  grasses  is  equal  to  that  of  any  lands. 
As  might  be  inferred  from  the  heavy  forest  growth  with  which  the 
entire  surface  is  covered,  the  mountain  sides  are  susceptible  of  pro- 
fitable cultivation  up  to  their  summits. 

Among  the  valleys  most  noted  for  their  beauty  and  extent  are  the 
upper  French  Broad  and  Mills  river  valleys,  of  Henderson  and  Tran- 
sylvania; the  Swannanoa,  in  Buncombe;  the  Pigeon  river,  Richland 
and  Jonathan's  creek   flat  lands,    in   Haywood;   those  of  the  Val- 


22  North  Carolina  and  its  Resourcks. 

ley   river   and   Hiwasse,    in    Cherokee;    and  portions   of  the   upper 
lyinville,  in  Mitchell. 

The  entire  transmontane  country  is  well  adapted  to  stock-raising. 
The  cultivated  grasses  flourish  everywhere  with  even  ordinary  care. 
But  it  is  in  the  north-western  counties — particularly  in  the  counties 
of  Ashe,  Alleghany,  Watauga,  Mitchell,  Yancey — that  all  the  con- 
ditions are  found  necessary  for  its  perfect  success.  The  soil  through- 
out these  counties  is  a  deep  rich  loam,  up  to  the  summits  of  the 
mountains.  The  whole  country  is  covered  with  a  dense  vegetation, 
amongst  which  will  be  found  some  of  the  largest  timber  in  the  United 
States,  and  as  yet  the  forests  are  comparatively  unbroken,  because 
they  have  been  inaccessible  to  market.  The  clearing  of  the  timber 
is  a  work  of  some  difficulty,  but  when  that  is  done  the  labor  of  the 
farmer  is  rewarded  with  the  richest  crops.  After  two  or  three  crops 
are  taken  off,  the  land,  if  suffered  to  lie  at  rest,  springs  up  spontane- 
ously in  timothy,  herds  grass,  and  other  rich  pasture  grasses;  and 
once  established,  the  grass  perpetuates  itself  upon  the  land.  Nor  is 
an  entire  clearing  necessary  to  establish  the  land  in  grass.  If  the 
undergrowth  is  removed,  the  trees  thinned  out,  and  the  surface 
stirred  and  sown  in  orchard  grass  (Cocks  foot,)  it  flourishes  luxur- 
iantly even  while  the  forest  trees  are  left  standing. 

Its  capacity  as  a  grazing  country  has  long  been  known.  But 
formerly  the  cattle  were  left  to  the  resources  of  nature,  which  indeed, 
in  such  a  country  were  abundant  and  rich.  "  Horses  and  horned 
cattle,"  says  General  Clingman  in  one  of  his  publications,  "are 
usually  driven  out  into  the  mountains  about  the  first  of  April  and 
brought  back  in  November.  Within  six  weeks  after  they  have  thus 
been  put  into  the  range,  they  become  fat  and  sleek.  There  are, 
however,  on  the  top  and  along  the  sides  of  the  higher  mountains 
ever-green  and  winter  grasses  on  which  horses  and  horned  cattle 
live  well  through  the  entire  winter.  Such  animals  are  often  foaled 
and  reared  there  until  fit  for  market,  without  ever  seeing  a  cultivated 
plantation."  Of  late,  attention  has  been  turned  to  the  breeding  of 
fine  stock,  and  some  herds  of  cattle  and  flocks  of  sheep  are  found 
there  which  will  compare  not  unfavorably  with  those  of  any  country. 
This  country  is  already  penetrated  by  one  railroad,  and  others  are  in 
course  of  construction.  When  fairly  laid  open  to  railroad  communi- 
cation it  will  offer — besides  its  rich  mining  interests  and  timbers — 
one  of  the  finest  fields  for  cattle  and  sheep  breeding  and  for  dairy 
products  that  the  Union  presents. 

Apart  from  its  forests,  nature  has  been  prodigal  to  this  section  in 
shrubs  and  flowering  plants.     It  has  alwaj^s  been  a  favorite  resort  of 


The  Mountain  Region.  23 

the  botanists.  It  is  a  field  that  has  been  assiduously  cultivated  by  many 
of  the  most  distinguished  professors  of  that  science.  It  was  from  these 
mountains  that  Bartram,  the  Michauxs — father  and  son — Fraser, 
Delile,  L,yon,  Nuttall,  Von  Schweinitz,  Mitchell,  Gray  and  Curtis, 
drew  much  of  the  material  of  their  valuable  contributions  to  botani- 
cal science.  It  was  here  that  some  of  the  most  beautiful  flowers 
that  adorn  the  gardens  of  Europe  and  of  this  country  were  first 
discovered.  It  still  yields  rare  flowers  to  the  explorer,  which 
though  not  conspicuous  for  their  beautj^,  are  deemed  rare  treasures 
by  botanists. 

This  section  has  also  been  one  of  the  chief  sources  of  supply  of 
medicinal  herbs.  Immense  quantities  are  gathered  and  shipped  to  the 
northern  cities  and  to  Europe.  In  travelling  through  the  mountains 
bales  of  these  herbs  may  be  seen  collected  about  the  country  stores  as 
bales  of  cotton  are  seen  in  the  middle  and  eastern  regions.  Ginseng 
in  great  quantities  is  shipped  to  China.  The  trade  in  medicinal  herbs 
has  grown  into  a  large  business. 

Corundum  abounds  in  Macon,  Clay  and  many  other  counties. 
Mica  is  abundant  in  Mitchell  and  Yancey,  and  those  counties  yield  a 
large  part  of  the  world's  supply.  The  largest  and  finest  sheets  of  it 
seen  at  the  World's  Fair  at  Vienna  were  from  the  Ray  Mine  in 
Yancey. 

This  section  is  rich  in  iron  ores  of  the  best  grade.  That  of 
Cranberry  possesses  such  excellence  for  making  iron  for  special 
purposes — steam  boilers  for  example,  and  steel  of  the  finest  quality, 
such  as  is  adapted  to  making  surgical  instruments  and  the  like — that 
a  railroad  forty  miles  long  and  costing  more  than  a  million  dollars 
has  been  constructed  through  one  of  the  most  rugged  parts  of  the 
mountain  territory  to  reach  it.  Copper  also  is  prominent  among  the 
metals  of  this  region.  The  most  noted  mine  is  that  of  Ore  Knob,  in 
Ashe. 

The  effect  of  these  mining  enterprises  upon  the  prosperity  of  this 
section  has  been  marked.  Labor  has  found  emplo3'ment,  a  home 
market  has  been  furnished  to  the  farmer,  and  there  has  been  some 
appreciation  of  property  of  every  kind. 

The  past  few  years  have  been  remarkable  for  the  success  with 
which  the  difficulties  presented  by  the  want  of  transportation  in  this 
State  have  been  grappled  with  and  overcome.  These  achievements 
at  once  great  and  beneficent,  will  make  this  period  a  memorable  one  in 
the  history  of  the  State.  Railroads  are  now  entering  the  north- 
western part  of  the  State  in  several  directions.  The  completion  and 
connection  of  these,    and   the  opening  up  of  this  region,  so  rich  in 


24  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

elements  of  undeveloped  wealth,  is  now  regarded  as  the  first  and  most 
imperative  duty  of  the  statesmen  of  North  Carolina. 

PIEDflONT  PLATEAU  REGION. 

The  Piedmont  Plateau  region  is  intermediate  between  the  Moun- 
tain region,  already  spoken  of,  and  the  Coastal  Plain  region,  which 
extends  to  the  ocean.  It  comprises  nearly  one-half  the  territory  of 
the  State.  In  passing  into  this  region  from  either  of  the  others,  a 
marked  change  is  at  once  observable  in  topography,  in  production, 
and  largely  in  industrial  pursuits.  The  tumultuous  continuity  of 
mountains  subsides  into  gentle  undulations,  a  succession  of  hills  and 
dales,  a  variety  and  charm  of  landscape,  alike  different  from  the  high, 
uplifted  mountain  elevations  and  the  flat  monotony  of  the  plains  or 
levels  of  the  east.  Every  step  brings  to  view  some  new  charm,  some 
new  arrangement  of  the  rounded  hills,  some  nevv^  grouping  of  the 
tracts  of  forest  Vv^hich  still  cover  so  large  a  part  of  the  country.  The 
hills,  indeed,  in  their  gracefully  curving  outlines,  present  lines  of 
beauty  with  which  the  eye  of  taste  is  never  satiated.  These  are 
attractions  which  depend  upon  permanent  features  of  the  landscape, 
and  which,  though  infinitely  heightened  in  their  effects  by  the 
verdure  of  spring  and  summer,  are  only  brought  into  fuller  relief  by 
the  nakedness  of  winter.  The  variations  of  surface,  though  less 
defined  at  first,  become  more  marked  towards  the  west,  and  towards 
the  Blue  Ridge  the  country  assumes  a  bold  and  even  rugged  aspect. 

The  hand  of  improvement  is  more  visible  in  this  than  in  any  sec- 
tion in  this  State.  Almost  the  entire  region  is  now  dotted  over  with 
thriving  villages  and  towns.  The  homes  everywhere  indicate  a  high 
degree  of  thrift  and  comfort.  An  unusual  proportion  are  built  in 
modern  style,  and  tastefully  painted.  Nestled  amidst  yards  and 
gardens,  enclosed  with  neat  painted  palings,  flanked  with  orchards 
of  fruit  trees,  in  which  a  space  is  generally  allotted  to  choice  grape 
vines,  they  give  abundant  proof  of  ease,  plenty,  and,  in  many 
instances,  of  no  small  degree  of  luxury. 

It  is  in  this  section  that  the  great  water-power  of  the  State — esti- 
mated by  the  late  State  Geologist,  Prof.  W.  C.  Kerr,  at  three  million 
horse-power — finds  its  greatest  development  and  employment.  It  is 
through  this  section  that  flow  the  upper  waters  of  the  Dan,  the  Roanoke, 
the  Tar,  the  Neuse,  the  Cape  Fear,  the  Yadkin,  and  the  Catawba, 
and  their  numerous  affluents.  All  of  those  have  been  partially  utilized 
oy  the  erection  of  corn,  flouring  and  saw-mills  in  every  neighbor- 
hood, and  cotton  and  woolen  mills  on  almost  all  of  the  rivers  and  their 
tributaries.     Within  the  last  few  years  the  number  of  cotton-mills  has 


Piedmont  Plateau  Region.  25 

largely  increased.  Those  erected  lately  are  spacious  buildings,  and 
equipped  with  the  best  machinery.  Within  the  same  period  all  or 
nearly  all  of  the  older  ones  have  been  enlarged  and  new  machinery 
put  in.  The  fact  begins  to  be  more  and  more  recognized  that  within 
the  cotton  States  there  are  advantages  for  the  manufacture  of  that 
staple  that  cannot  be  found  elsewhere.  Here  the  cotton  is  at  the 
door  of  the  manufacturer,  and  the  prime  cost  of  the  material  is  there- 
fore less.  Wages  are  less  here  than  in  the  northern  States,  and  a 
lower  rate  of  wages  here  affords  a  more  comfortable  living  than  a 
higher  rate  there,  for  the  necessaries  of  life  are  cheaper,  and  less  of 
food,  clothing  and  fuel  are  required.  I^ess  fuel,  too,  is  required  for 
heating  the  mill  in  winter.  The  laborer  can  make  substantial 
additions  to  his  means  of  subsistence  from  his  garden,  which  is 
always  allotted  here  to  the  head  of  the  family.  Here  there  is  no 
obstruction  to  machinery  from  ice  in  winter,  and  no  greater  suspen- 
sion of  work  from  drought  in  summer,  for  our  rivers  are  as  long  as 
those  of  New  England  and  have  as  many  tributaries.  The  original 
cost  of  the  site  and  of  the  building  here  is  very  much  less  than  the 
same  cost  there.  The  force  of  these  reasons  cannot  be  long  resisted, 
and,  indeed,  the  phenomenal  growth  of  cotton  milling  now  observed 
in  the  State  fully  asserts  the  truth  of  the  claims  set  forth. 

In  subsequent  chapters  in  this  volume  the  water  powers  and 
manufacturing  will  be  treated  at  more  length. 

The  soil  of  this  Piedmont  Plateau  presents  a  blending  of  the  soils 
of  the  Eastern  and  Western  regions,  the  tertiary  formation  of  the  first 
pushing  itself  sometimes  far  towards  the  west  until  it  comes  into 
proximity  with  the  older  formations  of  the  Piedmont  region,  and 
often,  in  its  extreme  western  extension,  partaking  of  the  character  of 
the  formations  of  the  mountains.  A  soil  so  composed  or  diversified,  in 
connection  with  favorable  climatic  conditions,  offers  great  agricul- 
tural possibilities,  and  in  this  section  we  find  the  widest  range  of 
production.  It  is  here  that  we  find  the  largest  area  devoted  to  the 
cultivation  of  the  most  profitable  varieties  of  tobacco,  and  it  is  here 
that  the  culture  of  cotton  is  largely  extended  and  profitably  pursued; 
and  it  is  here  also  that  all  the  cereals  and  all  the  grasses  are  culti- 
vated in  their  highest  perfection,  enlisting  the  leading  agricultural 
interest  of  the  population.  Here  also  the  fruits  of  the  temperate 
zone  find  congenial  home — apples,  peaches,  pears,  cherries,  the  small 
fruits  and  grapes  being  unexcelled  in  excellence,  variety  and  abund- 
ance. In  this  section  are  also  widely  distributed  the  richest  veins 
and  deposits  of  the  valuable  ores  and  metals,  including  the  precious 
metals,  gold  and  silver,  iron,  copper  and  lead,  and  the  only  two  coal 


26  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

formations  found  in  North  Carolina.  These  ores,  and  the  mining 
operations  connected  with  them,  will  be  treated  of  in  a  chapter  in  this 
work.  This  region  also  abounds  in  varied  and  extensive  forest  wealthy 
which  will  be  referred  to  in  its  proper  place. 

COASTAL   PLAIN   REGION. 

The  whole  eastern  portion  of  the  State  consists  of  a  vast  plain, 
stretching  frjom  the  sea  coast  into  the  interior  of  the  country,  a  dis- 
tance of  from  one  hundred  to  a  hundred  and  fifty  miles.  Traversing 
this  section  from  north  to  south  are  tracts  of  country  which  vary 
little  from  a  perfect  level.  The  Carolina  Central  Railroad  has  a 
stretch  of  one  hundred  miles  where  there  is  neither  curve,  excavation 
nor  embankment.  From  east  to  west  the  surface  rises  by  easy  grada- 
tions at  the  rate  of  a  little  more  than  a  foot  to  the  mile.  The  rise, 
however,  is  not  perceptible  to  the  traveler.  But  though  level  in 
parts,  it  is  in  general  relieved  by  slight  undulations.  Along  its 
western  border,  as  in  the  county  of  Moore,  it  attains  an  elevation  of 
about  five  hundred  feet. 

The  western  boundary  may  be  roughly  defined  by  a  line  extend- 
ing from  the  western  part  of  Warren,  through  Franklin,  Wake, 
Cumberland,  Chatham,  Moore,  Montgomery  and  Anson.  This  line 
marks  what,  at  an  earlier  period  of  the  earth's  history,  was  a  line  of 
sea-beach.  Over  this  whole  section  the  primitive  rocks  are  covered 
with  a  deep  stratum  of  earth,  principally  sand.  Along  the  western 
border  there  is  a  broad  belt  of  unequal  width,  but  generally  from 
thirty  to  forty  miles  across,  where  granite,  slate  and  other  rocks  are 
sparingly  distributed,  mainly  near  water- courses,  where  the  more 
recent  formations  have  been  removed  by  the  erosian  agencies.  The 
belt  of  primitive  rock  here  mentioned  extends  to  the  Wilmington  and 
Weldon  Railroad,  from  the  Virginia  line  to  Goldsboro,  and  from  thence 
to  a  line  drawn  through  Averysboro  to  the  South  Carolina  line  about 
where  the  Pee  Dee  enters  that  State.  From  the  line  there  indicated 
to  the  sea  coast  not  a  stone  of  any  size,  except  along  the  water- 
courses, and  scarcely  a  pebble,  except  at  a  few  points,  is  to  be  met  with. 

A  bed  of  shell  limestone  underlies  some  portions  of  the  region, 
cropping  out  at  intervals.  It  forms  a  good  limestone,  suflSciently 
pure  for  all  the  common  purposes  of  building,  and  in  quantity  large 
enough  to  supply  a  wide  extent  of  country  with  quicklime.  Exam- 
ples of  this  are  found  nine  miles  below  Waynesboro,  in  the  north-west 
corner  of  Jones,  in  the  northern  part  of  Onslow,  at  Wilmington,  and 
on  the  north-west  branch  of  the  Cape  Fear  to  a  distance  of  forty 
miles  above. 


SCENES    NEAR    FAYETTEVILLE. 


Coastal  Plain  Region.  27 

This  section  is  made  up   of  beds  of  clay  and  sand,  witii  vast 
quantities  of  shells  imbedded  in  them.     The  soil  varies  in  character 
to   the  extent  that  the  one  or  the  other  predominates;   and  to  the 
extent   that  the  shells,  when   intermixed   with   it,  have   undergone 
decomposition.     The  upland  soil  is  for  the  most  part  a  sandy  loam, 
easily  accessible  to  the  sun's  rays,  easily  worked  and  very  productive 
in  the  crops  there  cultivated.     There  are,  however,  extensive  areas  of 
country  where  sand  predominates  to  such  a  degree  that  the  surface 
to  a  considerable  depth  is  a  bed  of  white  sand.     Yet  this  kind  of  land 
is  the  favorite  habitat  of  the  long-leaf  pine.     When  cleared,  it  3d  elds 
good  crops  of  corn  and  cotton  for  a  few  years  without  manure,  and 
always  with  slight  help  from  proper  commercial  fertilizers,  and  con- 
siderable areas,  as  in  Moore  county,  have  been  found  to  be  valuable 
for  small  fruits  and  orchards.      There  are  other  extensive  areas  Vv'here 
clay   enters   so   largely  into  the  soil  as  to  form  a  clay  loam.     The 
counties  on  the  north  side  of  Albemarle  Sound — a  very  fertile  tract 
of  country — are   examples  of  this   class.     The  alluval  lands  of  this 
section — lands  alwaj^s  in  the  highest  degree  productive  from  the  fact 
that   all   the   elements   of  fertility    are   intimatelj'   intermingled   by 
having  been   once  suspended   in  water — are  of  unusual  extent  and 
importance.     The  grain  grown  there  supplies  food  not  only  for  people 
of  other  parts  of  the  State,  but  large  populations  in  other   States. 
There  are  also  extensive  areas  when  the  marls  of  the  tertiary  forma- 
tion come   near  the   surface  and  increase  the   fertility   of  the   soil. 
This  is  the  case  from  the  eastern  part  of  Jones   county  to  the  Cape 
Fear  river,  and  in  portions  of  many  other  counties.     Another  class  of 
lands  in  point  of  fertility  equalling  anj^  in  the  world  is  that  reclaimed 
from  some  of    the  swamp   and  lake   areas   in   the  extreme   eastern 
portion  of  this  region.     These  lands  seem  to  be  well  nigh  inexhausti- 
ble.    The   cultivation   of  three-quarters  of  a '  century   has   made  no 
change  in  their  productive  capacity.     To   the   lands   reclaimed  from 
the  borders  of  marshes — so  frequent  near  the  shore — the  same  remark 
may  be  applied. 

Another  class  of  land  remains  to  be  mentioned  which  will  be  a 
resource  of  inestimable  value  in  time,  perhaps  not  distant.  Border- 
ing on  the  sea  and  sounds  are  extensive  tracts  of  country  designated 
as  swamps.  Though  so-called,  they  differ  wadelj^  in  their  character- 
istic features  from  an  ordinary  swamp.  They  are  not  alluvial  tracts, 
neither  are  they  subject  to  overflow.  The  land  covered  by  many  of 
them  lies  for  the  greater  part  quite  low;  but  this  remark  seldom 
applies  wholly  to  any  of  them — to  some  does  not  apply  at  all.  On  the 
contrary  many  of  them  occupy  the  divides  or  water  sheds  between  the 


28  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

rivers  and  sounds,  and  are  elevated  many  feet  above  the  adjacent 
rivers  of  which  they  are  the  sources.  These  latter  are  susceptible  of 
drainage,  and  when  reclaimed  some  of  them  have  every  element  of 
exuberant  and  lasting  fertility.  Bay  River  swamp,  between  Pamlico 
and  Neuse  rivers,  and  Green  swamp,  in  Brunswick  and  Columbus 
counties,  may  be  mentioned  as  examples.  The  elevation  of  the 
latter  is  forty  feet  above  the  sea  level.  The  work  of  drainage  is 
simple.  From  the  border  of  the  swamp,  which  is  always  the  high- 
est land,  the  bottom  slopes  in  every  direction  gradually,  almost  im- 
perceptibly, to  the  centre.  A  canal  cut  through  this  border  into  the 
swamp,  and  carried  to  some  neighboring  stream,  lays  bare  an  exten- 
sive belt  along  the  entire  border.  The  aggregate  territory  in  the 
State  known  as  swamp  lands  is  between  three  and  four  thousand 
square  miles.  When  drainage  shall  be  properly  carried  out  over 
this  great  territory — a  work  which  on  account  of  the  slight  difficul- 
ties to  be  encountered  as  compared  with  those  which  they  encoun- 
tered and  overcame,  would  be  deemed  trifling  by  the  laborious 
North  German  and  the  indefatigable  Hollander — hundreds  of  square 
miles  of  land  of  surpassing  fertility  will  be  added  to  the  area  now 
in  cultivation. 

Throughout  this  entire  section  cotton,  corn,  oats,  sorghum,  peas, 
peanuts,  potatoes,  especially  sweet  potatoes,  are  the  staple  crops; 
the  culture  of  tobacco  has  been  lately  introduced  with  success.  Upon 
the  rich  alluvions  and  the  reclaimed  lake  and  swamp  lands,  corn, 
with  peas  planted  in  the  intervals  between  the  corn,  forms  the  ex- 
clusive crop.  Occasionally  on  the  broad  low-grounds  of  the  Roanoke, 
wheat  is  grown  to  a  considerable  extent.  In  the  counties  on  the 
north  of  Albemarle  Sound  it  is  one  of  the  staple  crops.  On  the  low- 
grounds  of  the  lower  Cape  Fear  rice  has  long  been  the  staple  crop, 
and  during  recent  years  its  culture  has  been  extended  northward 
along  the  low  lying  lands  of  the  rivers  and  sounds.  I^The  upland 
variety  of  rice  has  been  introduced  within  a  few  years  past  with  en- 
tire success.  This  section  is  everywhere  underlaid  with  marl — a 
mixture  of  carbonate  of  lime  and  clay  formed  by  the  decomposition 
of  imbedded  shells — sufficient  in  quantity,  when  raised  and  applied 
to  the  surface,  to  bring  it  to  a  high  pitch  of  fertility  and  maintain 
it  so. 

In  the  counties  of  Duplin,  Sampson  and  New  Hanover  valuable 
deposits  of  phosphates  have  been  discovered,  which  are  now  being 
mined  and  ground  for  fertilizing  purposes.  They  are  known  to  exist 
in  the  adjoining  counties,  but  to  what  extent  has  not  been  yet  ascer- 
tained.    From  the  similarity  of  the  geological  conditions  throughout 


CoASTAi,  Pi,AiN  Region.  29 

the  Bastern  Section,  there  is  little  doubt  that  a  systematic  explora- 
tion there  will  lead  to  further  extensive  discoveries. 

The  use  of  marl,  on  account  of  its  lower  value  in  comparison  with 
its  bulk  and  consequent  cost  of  transportation,  must  be  mainly,  if 
not  wholly,  confined  to  the  section  in  which  it  is  found.  Phosphates, 
on  the  other  hand,  on  account  of  their  high  fertilizing  power,  admit 
of  transportation  to  any  distance,  and  may  be  used  anywhere. 

Dr.  Kmmons  remarks:  "The  swamp  soils  of  North  Carolina 
show  a  greater  capacity  for  endurance  than  the  prairie  soils  of  Illinois, 
notwitstanding  the  annual  crops  are  somewhat  less  per  acre;  and,  on 
the  score  of  location,  we  are  unable  to  see  that  the  Illinois  soils  have 
the  preference.  Nor,  as  regards  health,  are  our  swamp  soils  more 
subject  to  malaria  than  the  country  of  the  prairies,"  He  refers  to 
the  remarkable  fact  that  "persons  live  and  labor  in  swamps  with 
impunity  or  freedom  from  disease. ' '  This  statement  is  fully  sustained 
by  the  reports  of  our  engineers  who  have  had  charge  of  the 
construction  of  railroads  in  that  section,  as  well  as  by  the  general 
healthfulness  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  region,  and  especially  so  by 
those  who  use  cistern  water. 

The  swamps,  in  their  natural  state,  afford  abundant  pasturage. 
They  are  covered  in  part  by  a  dense  growth  of  reeds,  which  supply 
excellent  food  for  cattle,  winter  and  summer. 

That  eminent  agriculturist,  Mr.  Edmund  Ruffin,  of  Virginia, 
who  studied  this  section  of  the  State  with  care,  expressed  a  high 
appreciation  of  the  tidewater  region  for  the  cultivation  of  grasses. 
He  said:  "There  is  no  better  country  for  grasses  east  of  the  mountains. 
In  small  lots  I  saw  dry  meadows  of  ochard  grass  and  clover  that 
would  have  been  deemed  good  in  the  best  grass  districts."  It  is 
evident,  from  the  humid  character  of  the  climate  in  that  region,  and 
from  the  fact  that  the  heats  of  summer  are  tempered  by  sea-breezes, 
owing  to  the  proximity  of  the  ocean,  that  the  conditions  are  such  as 
to  favor  the  growth  of  this  family  of  plants. 

Among  the  resources  for  future  use  along  the  seaboard  country, 
peat  is  entitled  to  a  prominent  place.  It  exists  over  hundreds  of 
square  miles  in  area,  and  to  the  depth  of  many  feet.  At  no  distant 
day  it  will  be  extensively  used,  both  as  a  fuel  and  fertilizer. 

If  the  indications  of  nature  are  to  be  relied  on,  North  Carolina 
was  plainly  marked  out  as  the  land  for  vineyards.  In  the  sober 
narrative  of  the  voyage  of  Amadas  and  Barlowe,  made  in  1584,  to 
North  Carolina,  then  an  unbroken  wilderness,  the  author  tells  us,  in 
most  graphic  language  of  the  abundance  of  grapes :  *  'so  full  of  grapes- 
as  the  very  beating  and  surge  of  the  sea  overflowed  them. '  * 


30  North  Carowna  and  its  Resources. 

Upon  the  visit  of  the  voyagers  to  the  house  of  the  Indian  King,  on 
Roanoke  Island,  wine  was  set  before  them  by  his  wife.  It  is  further 
mentioned  that,  "  while  the  grape  lasteth,  they  (the  Indians)  drink 
wine;"  they  had  not  learned  the  art  of  preserving  it.  Harriot,  a 
distinguished  man  in  an  age  of  distinguished  men,  of  whom  it  was 
justly  said  that  he  cultivated  all  sciences  and  excelled  in  all,  visited 
the  same  coast  in  1586,  where  he  was  struck  with  the  abundance  of 
grape  vines,  and  he  was  impressed  with  the  fact  that  wine  might 
be  made  one  of  the  future  staples  of  the  State.  "Were  they," 
he  writes,  "  planted  and  husbanded  as  they  ought,  a  principal  com- 
modity of  wines  might  be  raised."  This  State  has  proved  to  be  far 
richer  in  this  respect  than  it  is  probable  even  he  suspected.  Grape 
vines  were  found  in  equal  profusion  in  the  original  forest  throughout 
the  State.  They  often  interlaced  the  trees  to  such  an  extent  that 
they  were  a  serious  impediment  to  the  work  of  clearing  away  the 
forest,  catching  and  suspending  the  trees  as  they  were  felled.  At 
this  day,  if  a  tract  of  forest  is  enclosed,  and  cattle  ^of  every  kind 
excluded,  they  spring  up  spontaneously  and  thickly  over  the  land, 
Some  of  the  finest  wine  grapes  of  the  United  States,  the  Scuppernong, 
the  Isabella,  the  Catawba  and  the  I^incoln,  are  native  to  this  State. 
But  it  was  long  before  the  bounty  of  nature  in  this  regard  was 
improved.  This  was  probably  due  to  the  fact  that  the  State  was 
settled  almost  wholly  by  emigrants  from  the  British  Isles,  who  knew 
nothing  of  the  culture  of  the  vine.  It  was  planted  here  and  there  to 
yield  grapes  for  table  use;  but  it  was  not  uutil  within  thirty  years 
that  a  vineyard  was  known  in  the  State.  Within  that  period  several 
of  large  and  a  great  number  of  small  extent  have  been  planted. 
Grapes  in  season  are  abundantly  supplied  for  domestic  consumption, 
and  shipped  in  hundreds  of  tons.  The  wines  of  the  established 
vineyards  are  held  in  high  and  just  repute.  In  a  broad  commercial 
sense,  the  possibilities  of  the  Scuppernong,  as  a  wine  grape,  is  yet  to 
be  developed:  North  Carolina  should  supply  the  bulk  of  the  wine 
used  in  this  country. 

All  the  cultivated  fruits  and  berries  grow  here  in  great  perfection 
with  the  exception  of  the  apple.  This,  though  by  no  means  an 
inferior  fruit,  is  yet  not  equal  in  size  and  flavor  to  that  of  the  Pied- 
mont Plateau  and  Mountain  regions.  Among  the  swamps  the  cran- 
berry is  found  in  profusion.  The  melons  are  of  every  variety  and  of 
peculiar  excellence. 


Climate.  31 

CLIMATE. 

It  will  be  conceded  witliout  question  that  the  influence  of  climate 
on  human  progress  is  supreme,  because  its  happy  or  adverse  condi- 
tions affect  all  that  relates  to  comfort,  health,  energy  and  success  in 
the  occupations  of  life.  Those  regions  most  abounding  in  fertile  soil 
and  exuberant  vegetation,  which  favor  the  growth  of  many  valuable 
productions  of  nature,  often  have  those  treasures  closed  against  the 
efforts  of  industry  by  unfavorable  climatic  conditions,  an  excess  of 
heat  and  moisture,  and  an  air  poisoned  with  miasma,  leading  to  loss 
of  vigor,  health,  or  of  life  itself,  On  the  other  hand  the  frigid  regions 
of  the  north  are  equally  unsuited  for  the  permanent  abode  of 
man. 

The  greatest  nations  have  all  developed  in  the  regions  of  the 
temperate  zone,  which  possess  the  most  variable  climate.  Varia- 
tions of  heat  and  cold,  of  moisture  and  dryness,  within  extremes  not 
too  great,  are  essential  to  the  best  development  of  vegetable  as  well 
as  animal  life.  Man  especially,  requires  the  inspiration  of  the 
changing  seasons,  the  summer,  warm  enough  to  assure  the  rewards  of 
labor  by  the  abundant  yield  of  the  fruits  of  the  soil,  the  winter, 
with  its  bracing  cold,  giving  a  period  of  rest  and  renewal  of 
vigor. 

It  is  common  to  find  the  most  extravagant  claims  made  for  the 
climate  of  favored  localities.  The  splendid  climate  of  North  Caro- 
lina will  be  best  described  by  presenting  to  the  seeker  for  a  new 
home  a  i&wfacis  in  regard  to  the  chief  climatic  features,  which  may 
be  easily  verified  by  reference  to  the  excellent  publications  of  the 
North  Carolina  State  Weather  Service,  where  more  detailed  informa- 
tion may  be  sought. 

North  Carolina  lies  on  the  same  parallel  of  latitude  as  the  central 
Mediterranean  basin,  that  climatically  most  favored  region  of  the 
globe.  Though  this  position  in  the  warm  temperate  zone  determines 
the  chief  climatic  features  of  the  State,  these  are  modified  by  various 
causes,  most  important  of  which  are  the  proximity  of  the  ocean  in 
the  east  and  the  mountain  system  in  the  west.  The  State  is  naturally 
divided  into  three  regions:  the  Coastal  Plain,  Piedmont  Plateau  and 
Mountain.  The  efi"ect  of  the  prolongation  of  the  first  into  the 
Atlantic  is  to  give  the  climate  of  that  region  a  more  insular  or  marine 
character,  the  effect  of  the  presence  of  the  sea  being  to  lessen  the 
changes  in  temperature  both  diurnal  and  seasonal  and  to  increase  the 
amount  of  precipitation.  Contrary  to  the  prevailing  impression,  the 
nearness  of  the  Gulf  Stream  h?is  a  minimum  effect  on  the  climate  in 


32  North  Caroi,ina  and  its  Resources. 

the  east,  both  because  the  Gulf  Stream  is  separated  from  the  land  by  fifty 
miles  of  cold  water,  and  because  the  prevailing  winds  are  from  the 
southwest  or  northeast  and  do  not  blow  the  moist  air  of  the  Gulf 
Stream  over  the  land,  as  is  so  often  stated.  The  annual  mean 
temperature  of  Southport,  situated  in  the  southeast  corner  of  the 
State,  is  64  degrees.  Here  vegetation  of  semi-tropical  origin,  as  the 
palmetto  and  magnolia  flourishes  and  rice  is  cultivated.  The  decrease 
in  annual  mean  temperature  towards  the  north  is  only  to  59  degrees 
at  Coinjock  and  Wei  don.  The  land  is  level  and  fertile,  and  the 
earlier  and  more  rapid  development  of  vegetation  has  led  to  one  of 
the  most  important  industries  of  the  State,  that  of  truck  farming. 
The  shipments  of  truck  and  strawberries  to  northern  markets  begins 
before  the  middle  of  April. 

On  the  other  hand  in  the  Mountain  region  the  influence  of 
elevation  predominates;  the  land  rises  in  summits  higher  than  any 
east  of  the  Rocky  Mountains;  the  summers  are  cooler,  the  winters 
more  severe,  but  the  dryness  of  the  air  renders  the  climate  more 
salubrious.  The  highest  point  in  the  Blue  Ridge,  Mount  Mitchell 
(elevation  6,711  feet)  has  probably  a  mean  annual  temperature  of  38 
degrees,  but  the  annual  mean  at  Asheville  (elevation  2,250  feet) 
which  is  54  degrees,  is  nearer  the  average  for  the  district.  The 
white  pine  and  the  spruce,  whose  natural  habitat  is  lower  Canada,  are 
abundant  in  the  forests  of  the  Blue  Ridge.  There  are  many  pic- 
turesque and  charming  valleys,  looked  down  upon  by  lofty  peaks, 
which  have  a  climate  as  mild  as  the  less  elevated  Piedmont  region  on 
the  east  of  the  range.  In  certain  mountain  localities  occur  the 
remarkable  thermal  or  frostless  belts,  regions  where  the  season  is 
known  to  be  a  month  earlier  in  spring  and  later  in  autumn  than  in  the 
valley  below  them,  and  where,  above  and  below,  frost  works  its 
blighting  effect,  leaving  in  vivid  contrast  horizontal  belts  of  untouched 
foilage  and  blooming  flowers.  The  Blue  Ridge  acts  also  as  a  barrier 
to  all  except  the  most  severe  cold  waves  from  the  northwest,  which 
frequently  advance  around  the  south  end,  affecting  the  Gulf  States 
before  they  reach  North  Carolina. 

Intermediate  between  these  sections  may  be  found  all  gradations 
in  climate,  as  in  soil,  products  and  scenery,  suited  to  every  individual 
taste.  The  climatic  conditions  are  favorable  for  the  growth  of  a 
great  variety  of  crops,  as  cotton,  corn,  tobacco,  and  small  grains, 
which  are  the  staple  crops  of  North  Carolina,  as  well  as  almost  every 
kind  of  fruit  and  vegetable.  Invalids  also  may  find  returning  health 
at  many  of  the  now  well  known  summer  and  winter  resorts,  while  the 
pleasure  seeker  frequents  the  watering  places  along  the  east  coast. 


Tkmpkrature.  33 


TEMPERATURE. 

From  records  extending  over  a  period  of  twenty  five  years  the 
mean  annual  temperature  of  the  State  has  been  determined  to  be  59 
degrees  Fahrenheit.  The  means  for  the  three  regions  for  the  different 
seasons  of  the  year  are  as  follows  :- 

Spring.         Summer.         Autumn.  Winter.  Year. 

Coastal  Plain 58 ,  .77 62 45 61. 

Piedmont  Plateau 59 77 59 43 60. 

Mountain 56 72 56 40 56. 

For  the  State 58 76 60 43 59. 

For  convenience  of  comparison  the  annual  mean  temperature  at 
some  of  the  most  important  places  in  the  State  is  presented  in  the 
following  table: 


Asheville 54 

Charlotte 60 

Chapel  Hill.. 60 

Franklin 54 

Fayetteville .  .61 

Greenville 61 

Greensboro...  59 


Goldsboro.. .  .62.  Newbern 62. 

Hatteras 62.  Portsmouth. ..62. 

Highlands...  .50.  Raleigh 60. 

Kitty  Hawk... 60.  Southport 64. 

Ivcnoir 56.  Tarboro 60. 

Murphy 56.  Weldon 59. 

Morganton — 58.  Wilmington. .  63. 


In  the  summer  months  the  southern  portion  of  the  Piedmont 
Plateau  presents  higher  monthly  means  and  greater  extremes  than 
either  the  Coastal  or  the  Mountain  regions,  probably  in  part  due  to 
the  sandy  nature  of  the  soil.  The  warmest  month  is  July,  and  a  few 
stations  sometimes  have  for  that  month  a  mean  of  over  80  degrees;  the 
coldest  month  is  January,  and  in  the  mountains  the  mean  for  that 
month  sometimes  is  as  low  as  30  degrees.  The  extremes  in  tempera- 
ture for  the  State  are  considerable,  but  rarely  does  the  temperature 
reach  zero,  except  during  such  extraordinary  cold  periods  as 
occurred  in  1873,  1886  and  1893.  During  a  normal  winter  the  mini- 
mum temperature  in  the  central  portion  of  the  State  will  sink  to  10  or 
12  degrees,  but  such  cold  is  usually  of  very  short  duration.  During 
a  normal  summer  the  temperature  will  perhaps  on  two  or  three  days 
reach  100  degrees. 

In  respect  to  temperature  Dr.  Kerr  stated: 
"Middle  and  eastern   North    Carolina  correspond  to  middle   and 
Southern  France,   and  Western  North  Carolina  to  Northern  France 
and  Belgium.     All  the  climates  of  Italy  from  Palermo  to  Milan  and 
Venice  are  represented." 


Autumn. 

Winter. 

Year. 

...13.10... 

.. .12.24. • • 

..•55-23- 

...11.35... 

,...12.28... 

...49-85. 

.    .10.61. . , 

....14.07... 

.••53-32. 

.. .11.71... 

,...12.77... 

...53.29. 

34  North  Carolina  and  its  Rksources. 

PRECIPITATION. 

The  normal  average  precipitation  for  North  Carolina  is  53.29 
inches.  The  State  therefore  forms  the  northeastern  limit  of  that 
region  in  the  United  States  characterized  by  the  largest  amount  of 
rainfall,  the  centre  of  which  lies  in  the  middle  Gulf  coast.  Long 
records  show  a  belt  of  minimum  precipitation  extending  through  the 
Piedmont  Plateau;  at  the  same  time  certain  valleys  west  of  the  divide 
also  have  a  small  amount.  On  the  east  coast  and  over  the  southern 
portions  of  the  Mountain  region  the  annual  precipitation  becomes 
very  large,  over  70  inches.  No  station  has  a  normal  less  than  40 
inches. 

The  average  for  the  different  regions  are  as  follows: 

Spring.   Summer. 

Coastal  Plain 12.85  17.04. . 

Piedmont  Plateau. .  12. 18 13.99 . . 

Mountain 13-69 14-95  -  • 

For  the  State 12.94 15.87 . 

One  advantage  must  not  pass  unnoticed,  namely  that  the  rainfall 
is  uniformly  distributed  throughout  the  year,  and  that  during  those 
months  when  growing  crops  require  the  most  moisture,  the  amount  is 
greatest.  The  largest  amounts  occur  in  July  and  August,  when  the 
averages  for  the  State  are  respectively  5.44  and  6.09  inches;  the 
least  amounts  occur  in  October  and  November  (3.66  and  3.40  inches) 
during  which  the  weather  is  especially  favorable  for  the  final  work  of 
the  farmer,  before  the  much  needed  rest  of  winter  begins. 

As  illustrating  extreme  years  with  respect  to  total  precipitation, 
it  may  be  mentioned  that  the  wettest  year  recorded  occurred  in  1877, 
with  an  average  of  64.88  inches  for  the  State.  September,  of  that 
year,  had  the  only  average  of  over  10  inches  for  one  month.  During 
the  year  1890,  the  total  annual  rainfall  was  46.49  inches,  and  Novem- 
ber of  that  year  had  an  average  of  only  0.35  inch. 

A  few  records  of  normal  annual  precipitation  are  presented 
below : 

I/OCATioN.    Inches.  Location.    Inches.  Location.    Inches. 

Asheville 42.77      Chapel  Hill 46.11  Charlotte 52.72 

Franklin 57-ir      Greenville 50.66  Goldsboro 55-oo 

Hatteras 62.26      Highlands 76.29  Kitty  Hawk 58.82 

Lenoir 51-64      Murphy 64.05  Morganton 47,96 

Mount  Airy 48.95      Newbern 59-29  Portsmouth 69.14 

Raleigh 45-67      Southport 50.03  Tarboro 53-65 

Weldon 46.84      Willeyton 52.90  Wilmington 55.95 


Snowfall.  35 


SNOWFALL. 


As  a  matter  of  comfort  in  winter,  snowfall  is  of  more  importance 
tiian  rainfall.  The  amount  of  precipitation  occurring  as  snow  is  rarely- 
sufficient  to  serve  as  a  protection  to  small  grain  crops,  the  amount 
being  both  too  small  and  remaining  too  short  a  time  on  the  ground. 
The  average  snowfall  for  the  State  is  about  5  inches.  During  severe 
winters  much  larger  amounts  occur,  and  may  remain  on  the  ground 
for  a  week  or  ten  days,  but  during  a  normal  season  the  ground  will 
rarely  remain  white  for  more  than  two  days  at  a  time.  Snows  occur 
in  the  Piedmont  and  Coastal  regions,  most  frequently  with  northeast 
or  north  winds,  during  the  passage  of  storms  up  the  coast, 

FR05T,  ICE  AND  STORMS. 

Considering  Raleigh,  the  capital  city,  as  representing  the  aver- 
age with  respect  to  the  probability  of  the  occurrence  of  frost,  it  may 
be  stated  that  the  average  date  for  the  last  frost  in  spring  is  April 
loth,  though  killing  frost  have  occurred  on  rare  occasions  in  May. 
In  autumn,  the  first  frost  will  generally  occur  about  October  26th. 
Necessarily  in  the  mountain  region  these  dates  are  both  much 
advanced,  while  in  the  east,  the  modifying  effects  of  the  many  arms 
of  the  sea  penetrating  the  land  greatly  diminishes  the  danger  of 
killing  frosts  at  the  season  when  crops  are  growing. 

The  formation  of  ice  to  any  thickness  only  occurs  during  except- 
ionally severe  winters.  Ice  has  formed,  however,  as  far  south  as 
Wilmington,  to  a  thickness  of  half  an  inch,  and  even  Albemarle  and 
Currituck  Sounds  have  been  frozen  over.  But  the  normal  winter 
yields  opportunities  neither  for  sleighing  nor  skating,  except  for  very 
brief  periods. 

There  remains  to  be  considered  one  special  advantage  possessed 
by  the  State,  due  to  its  position  with  reference  to  the  prevailing  course 
of  cyclonic  storms.  The  great  path  of  these  "  weather  breeders  "  is 
across  the  lake  region  and  thence  northeastward  up  the  St.  Lawrence 
Valley.  North  Carolina  lies  entirely  out  of  this  general  path.  Of  the 
total  number  of  storms  charted  from  1874  to  1890,  only  i6per-cent. 
crossed  North  Carolina.  There  are,  therefore,  longer  periods  of  pleasant 
weather  than  can  be  experienced  in  more  northerly  states.  Of  destruc- 
tive tornadoes.  North  Carolina  experiences  not  one  in  ten  years. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  State  does  lie  in  the  path  of  the  so-called 
sub-tropical  storms  which  move  up  from  the  coast  of  Florida.  These 
storms  occur  most  frequently  during  the  months  of  August,  Septem- 
ber and  October,  and  are  usually  accompanied  by  heavy  rains  and 


36  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

much  wind.  The  damage  to  crops  and  property  is  generally  small, 
but  they  give  to  Hatteras  a  deserved  reputation  for  gales  dangerous  to 
the  ships  and  lives  of  mariners. 


FORESTS. 


The  forests  of  North  Carolina  have  for  many  years  been  one  of 
the  chief  resources  of  revenue  to  the  people  of  the  State,  the  value  of 
their  products,  including  domestic  fuel,  timber  for  construction  and 
such  forest  by-products  as  turpentine  and  its  derivatives,  amounting 
in  1893  at  least  to  $25,000,000,  and  probably  much  exceeding  that 
amount  in  the  year  ending  March  ist,  1896.  The  forests  in  their 
original  distribution  extended  compact  and  unbroken  throughout  the 
length  and  breadth  of  the  State,  with  the  exception  of  unimportant 
savannas  in  the  eastern  section,  covered  with  coarse  grasses  and 
sedges,  and  isolated  mountain  summits  in  the  extreme  western 
counties,  which,  bare  of  trees  and  shrubs,  produced  a  close  turf  of 
vigorous  and  hardy  but  tender  grasses;  and  at  the  present  time,  after 
the  encroachment  of  field  and  pasture  for  over  a  century,  nearly  two- 
thirds  of  the  area  of  the  State  is  still  under  forest  cover. 

The  forests,  which  extend  from  the  sea  level  in  the  eastern  and 
southeastern  sections  to  altitudes  of  6,600  feet  along  the  State's  west- 
ern borders,  where  the  Appalachian  upheavals  reach  their  culmina- 
tion, are  made  up  of  more  or  less  distinctly  marked  regions  having 
different  kinds  of  trees,  the  different  growth  being  due  to  the  changes 
of  temperature  as  the  elevation  varies  and  to  the  succession  of  differ- 
ent soils.  There  are  three  of  these  regions  most  clearly  marked: 
the  Coastal  Plain  with  upland  forests  chiefly  of  pines;  the  Piedmont 
Plateau  with  forests  of  pine  mixed  with  hardwoods,  or  belts  of  hard- 
woods with  pine,  alternating  with  belts  of  hardwoods  without  pines; 
and  the  Mountain,  the  forests  of  which  lying  above  2,000  feet  eleva- 
tion are  destitute  of  pine. 

The  coastal  forest  region,  in  extent  nearly  coincident  with  the 
Coastal  Plain  and  embracing  about  three-eights  of  the  area  of  the 
State,  lies  east  of  a  line  drawn  from  Weldon  to  Raleigh,  and  from 
Raleigh  to  Wadesboro,  the  line  being  nearly  southwest  in  direction 
and  almost  parallel  with  the  Atlantic  Coast  I^ine.  Its  surface  is  undu- 
lating along  the  seaboard  where  it  is  usually  raised  only  slightly  above 
high  water  mark,  ten  to  forty  feet,  and  where  there  are  numerous  and 
extensive  swamps;    but  it  becomes  rolling  and  even  hilly  adjacent 


Forests.  37 

to  the  water  course  along  its  western  limits,  where  altitudes  of  500  to 
600  feet  are  encountered.  The  upland  soils  of  this  region  are  sandy- 
loams,  rarely  stiff,  moderately  fine  and  even  grained.  To  the  north 
of  the  Neuse  river  loams  and  loose  loams  are  the  more  frequent 
upland  soils  and  the  growth  is  loblolly  pine  (North  Carolina  pine*), 
with  a  subordinate  growth  of  small  oaks;  while  to  the  south  of  this 
river  the  upland  soils  are  more  sandy  and  the  forests  are  of  long-leaf 
pine,  often  to  the  exclusion  of  almost  every  other  tree,  but  near  the 
streams  and  larger  swamps  there  are  belts  of  loams  having  for  the 
chief  growth  loblolly  pines,  often  of  a  large  size  (rosemary  and  slash 
pinesf).  The  lowlands,  which  are  either  narrow  strips  of  alluvium 
contiguous  to  the  streams  or,  in  the  vicinity  of  the  coast,  are  large 
and  poorly-drained  basins,  have  soils  that  are  silty  and  clayey  and 
compact,  or  sandy  and  loose  with  a  large  percentage  of  organic  con- 
stituents. Where  the  soil  is  mellow  throughout  the  year  the  low- 
lands have  forests  of  loblolly  pine,  which  is  the  tree  of  chief  com- 
mercial value,  mixed  with  many  kinds  of  hardwoods,  particularly 
ash,  maple  and  gums.  If  the  soil  is  more  compact,  the  growth  is 
chiefly  oaks-water,  willow,  Spanish,  swamp,  white  and  overcup  oaks, 
with  elms  and  some  gums.  Where  the  soil  is  wet  through  a  large 
part  of  the  year,  the  largest  sweet  and  black  gums  are  to  be  found, 
and  where  flooded  for  a  considerable  part  of  the  year  the  finest  cypress 
occur,  in  places  to  the  exclusion  of  other  large  trees.  On  peaty  soils 
or  sandy  soils  underlaid  with  marl  occur  white  cedar  and  various 
bays  forming  "cedar"  or  "juniper  bays."  The  lowlands  form  a 
large  part  of  the  timber  yielding  lands  of  this  section  of  the  State. 
The  Piedmont  forest  region,  which  extends  westward  from  the 
Coastal  region  to  the  foot  of  the  Blue  Ridge  has  a  surface  varying  from 
gently  rolling  to  rugged  and  broken  near  the  larger  streams,  along 
most  of  which  are  narrow  strips  of  alluvium.  The  upland  soils  vary 
from  sandy  and  loose  loams,  superficially  so  at  any  rate,  to  stiff  and 
rarely  clayey  loams,  and  are  characterized  by  forests  of  hardwoods, 
particularly  of  oaks,  hickories  and  dogwood,  mixed  with  the  short- 
leaf  pine.  There  are  occasional  belts  of  hardwoods  containing  no 
pine,  as  the  one  which  passes  through  Orange,  Alamance,  Granville 
and  Person  counties;  the  belt  of  magnificent  oaks  and  hickories  pass- 
ing from  Greensboro  southwest  to  Charlotte;  and  the  similar  belts  in 
the  western  parts  of  Lincoln  and  Catawba  counties.  In  a  few  places, 
as  in  the  southern  parts  of  Union  county  and  in  parts  of  Durham 
county,  there  is  much  more  pine  than  oak  in  the  forest,  the  post  oak, 

*Lumbernien's  name. 
f  Local  name. 


38  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

black-jack  and  Spanish  oaks  of  the  original  growth  forming  a  lower 
story  beneath  the  pines. 

The  Mountain  forest  region  has  a  topography  that  is  broken  and 
rugged,  most  of  its  area  lying  within  the  Appalachian  plateau,  the 
eastern  boundary  of  which  is  the  Blue  Ridge.  The  valleys  are 
generally  narrow,  circumscribed,  and  largely  under  cultivation. 
Most  of  the  forest  lands  lie  on  the  mountain  slopes,  where  up  to  the 
present,  but  little  land  has  been  cleared  for  cultivation.  The  forests 
are  largely  of  hardwoods;  red,  chestnut  and  white  oaks,  yellow  poplar 
and  chestnut  all  of  which  on  the  lower  mountain  slopes  reach  the 
largest  size  that  these  trees  attain  in  the  United  States,  and  with  these, 
particularly  on  the  north  slopes  and  at  higher  elevations,  are  lindens 
(the  northern  basswood  or  whitewood,)  birches,  hard  and  soft  maples, 
beech,  ash  and  wild  cherry.  On  cold  north  slopes  there  are  forests  of 
hemlock,  and  on  many  of  the  mountains  above  an  elevation  of  4,000 
feet  compact  forests  of  spruce  and  fir  are  found.  On  the  lower  hills  of 
the  river  basins,  and  especially  on  those  lying  near  the  Blue  Ridge, 
white  pine  is  found  which  is  now  being  utilized  for  shingles  and 
building  material  and  more  largely  for  box  boards.  No  5^ellow  pine 
occurs  on  the  mountains  although,  south  of  the  French  Broad  river, 
it  grows  along  the  river  hills  and  is  used  to  a  considerable  extent  for 
lumber  and  in  construction. 

The  richness  of  the  sylva  of  North  Carolina,  almost  unequalled 
in  the  variety  of  hardwoods  and  conifers  by  that  of  any  other  region 
in  temperate  climates  having  an  equal  area,  is  unapproached  by  that 
of  any  other  State  or  Territory.  The  great  variety  of  soils  and 
climate  has  brought  together  trees  from  all  parts  of  eastern  America 
so  that  24  kinds  of  oaks  are  to  be  found  in  the  State,  which  is  three 
more  than  occur  in  any  state  to  the  north  of  this  one,  and  two  more 
than  are  to  be  found  in  any  state  to  the  south  of  this  one;  of  the 
nine  kinds  of  hickories  known  to  occur  in  the  United  States,  eight 
are  to  be  found  in  North  Carolina;  here  are  all  six  maples  of  the 
eastern  United  States,  all  the  lindens,  all  six  of  the  American  mag- 
nolias, three  of  the  birches,  eight  pines  out  of  eleven,  both  species  of 
hemlock  and  balsam-fir,  three  elms  out  of  five,  six  arborescent  species 
of  plumb  and  cherry  and  three  of  pyrus  (apple). 

In  the  eastern,  and  particularly  in  the  southeastern  part  of  the 
State,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Cape  Fear  river,  the  warm  air,  seldom 
below  freezing,  enables  numerous  trees  which  extend  farther  south, 
to  Florida,  Texas  and  even  Mexico,  to  here  make  their  northern 
limits,  or  to  extend  but  little  farther  to  the  northward.  This  is  the 
case  with  the  palmetto,  prickly  ash,  American  olive  (devil   wood). 


Forests.  39 

mock  orange  and  live  oak,  trees  wliicli,  in  this  State,  occur  only  along 
and  near  tiie  coast,  but  extend  southward  to  Florida  or  to  Texas.  The 
bleak  and  exposed  mountain  summits,  on  the  other  hand,  bear  forests 
of  trees  which  there  find  their  southern  limit,  but  extend  north- 
ward through  northern  New  York  and  New  Kngland  to  Canada. 
Such  trees  are  the  black  spruce  (he  balsam),  striped  and  spiked  maples, 
mountain  sumac,  which  is  really  an  apple,  balsam-fir  and  aspen,  all, 
unless  sheltered  by  other  trees  or  by  the  slopes  of  the  mountain  above 
them,  rugged  and  dwarfed  from  the  cold  and  constant  winds  to  which 
they  are  exposed. 

Between  these  extremes,  lie  the  commercial  forests  trees  nurtured 
under  no  such  adverse  conditions.  Some  of  these  trees  have  wide 
distribution  to  the  north  of  this  State  or  to  the  south  of  it,  or  in  both 
directions,  and  some  of  them  are  restricted  in  their  distribution  to 
North  Carolina  or  to  the  region  around  the  southern  Appalachian 
mountains.  In  the  coastal  region,  the  pond  pine,  the  great  tupelo, 
barren  willow  oak,  fork-leafed  black-jack,  over-cup  and  laurel  oaks, 
are  trees  which  extend  farther  to  the  south.  The  same  is  true  of  the 
long-leaf  and  loblolly  (North  Carolina)  pines,  the  first  of  which  trees 
can  be  worked  for  turpentine  longer  in  this  than  any  other  State,  and 
the  latter  forms  here  more  compact  forests  and  reaches  a  larger  size 
than  elsewhere.  The  southwestern  red  oak  and  water  bitter-nut 
hickory  (rice  field  hickory),  trees  common  in  the  lower  Mississippi 
valley,  occur  sparingly  in  this  State.  The  mossy  cup,  yellow 
and  shingle  oaks,  white  linden  and  big  shag-bark  hickory,  prominent 
trees  of  the  central  states,  extend  as  far  to  the  southeast  as  central 
North  Carolina;  while  trees  of  the  north,  like  the  hemlock,  sugar  or 
hard  maple,  northern  red  oak,  cherry  birch  and  Vv^hite  pine  and  of  the 
northeast,  like  the  pignut  hickory,  chestnut,  northern  pitch  pine  and 
balsam  enter  more  or  less  largely  into  the  composition  of  the  forests 
of  the  western  parts  of  the  State. 

Many  trees  of  wide  distribution,  and  among  them  some  of  the 
most  valuable,  extend  from  the  State  in  all  directions,  the  white,  post, 
black,  scarlet  and  Spanish  oaks,  the  red  and  white  maples,  the  white 
hickory  and  brown-heart  and  shag-bark  hickories,  short-leaf  pine, 
yellow  poplar,  red  cedar,  black  cherry  and  black  walnut.  The 
cypress,  water  and  willow  oaks,  downy  poplar,  swamp-white  oak 
(Q.  Michauxii,  Nutt.)  southern  elm,  and  planer  tree  are  trees  having  a 
great  range  to  the  south  and  southwest.  A  few  trees  are  found  only 
in  this  State,  or  extend  but  a  short  distance  beyond  its  boundaries, 
the  yellow-wood,  the  large-leaved  umbrella  tree,  the  Carolina  he  - 
lock,  the  clammy  locust,  the  last  being  entirely  confined  to  this  State. 


40  North  Caroi^ina  and  its  Rbsource;s. 

But  if  nature  has  been  lavish  in  the  variety  of  forms  it  gave,  it 
has  been  no  less  prodigal  in  material  wherewith  to  build  them,  for  an 
equitable  climate  and  an  abundant  rainfall  have  vied  in  rearing  trees 
no  less  magnificent  in  size  than  valuable  for  the  quality  of  their 
timbers.  No  less  than  twenty  trees  reach  in  North  Carolina  the 
greatest  size  which  they  attain,  among  them  some  of  the  most 
important  trees  of  the  American  forests,  viz:  the  white  and  rock 
chestnut  oaks,  the  cucumber,  black  cherry,  yellow  poplar,  the  hemlock 
and  chestnut.  All  of  these  attain  their  greatest  dimensions  on  the 
cool  moist  slopes  of  the  mountains.  One  species  the  loblolly  (North 
Carolina)  pine,  reaches  its  greatest  size,  and  forms  its  most  compact 
growth,  along  the  lowlands  or  on  the  moist  uplands  of  eastern  North 
Carolina. 

Altogether  there  are  153  kinds  of  woody  plants,  which  form  a 
simple  upright  stem  and  attaining  arborescent  proportions  growing 
naturally  within  the  State;  and  of  these  over  seventy  are  trees  of  the 
first  size,  and  fifty  seven  are  trees  of  great  economic  value.  Fourteen 
of  these  are  known  to  attain  in  this  State  a  height  of  over  100  feet, 
three  of  them  a  height  of  over  140  feet,  sixteen  of  them  reach  in  this 
State  diameters  of  five  feet  or  over;  and  five  reach  diameters  of  seven 
feet  or  over.  The  largest  and  finest  specimens  of  individual 
development  are  to  be  found  in  the  extreme  eastern  and  western 
regions  in  places  where  the  soil  is  not  only  deep  and  fertile,  but 
where  during  the  greater  part  of  the  growing  season  it  remains  moist 
or  at  least  mellow.  Such  conditions  are  furnished  by  the  lower 
slopes  of  the  higher  mountains,  particularly  the  northern  slopes  and 
by  many  of  the  swamps  of  the  coastal  region. 

THE  FOREST  TREES. 

Pinus  palustris,  Mill.,  the  long-leaf  pine,  occurs  commercially  in 
the  fifteen  counties  of  the  coastal  region  lying  south  of  the  Neuse 
river,  where  it  is  found  on  the  driest  and  most  sandy  soils  unmixed 
with  other  trees,  or  on  better  soils  with  a  lower  story  beneath  the 
pine  of  dogwood  and  small  post  and  Spanish  oaks,  the  oaks  being 
suitable  for  cross  ties.  From  this  pine,  by  boxing  it,  that  is  remov- 
ing a  thin  layer  of  the  sap-wood  so  that  the  resin  contained  in  the  tree 
may  exude  and  be  caught  in  a  hole  or  "box"  cut  in  the  trunk  of  the 
tree  near  its  base,  crude  turpentine,  as  the  resin  is  called,  is  obtained. 
By  the  distillation  of  the  crude  turpentine  spirits  of  turpentine  is 
gotten  as  the  volatile  part,  while  rosin  is  the  residue  left  in  the  re- 
tort.    This  industry  of  tapping  the  pine  for  resin  and  the  distillation 


The  Forest  Trees.  41 

of  that,  gives  employment  to  several  thousand  men  in  this  State,  and 
the  annual  value  of  the  resinous  products  sold  from  this  State  aggre- 
gate over  $1,500,000,  being,  in  fact,  about  one-third  of  the  entire 
product  of  these  commodities  in  the  world.  Tar  is  obtained  from 
this  tree  by  slow  combustion  in  a  closed  kiln  of  pieces  of  its  heart- 
wood  impregnated  with  resin;  and  from  tar,  pitch  is  made  by  boiling 
it  with  a  fixed  proportion  of  crude  turpentine. 

The  long-leaf  pine  is  a  tall  and  slender  tree,  with  a  long  clear 
stem,  the  trees  frequently  being  100  feet  high,  but  rarely  three  feet 
in  diameter.  The  wood  is  even  grained  and  strong,  stronger  than 
that  of  any  other  American  pine  and  nearly  twice  as  strong  as  that  of 
the  white  pine.  It  is  exceptionally  free  from  knots,  wind-shakes, 
heart-cracks,  red-heart  and  other  timber  defects,  takes  a  good  polish 
and  is  particularly  suited  for  flooring,  wainscotting  and  outside  work; 
and  on  account  of  its  resistance  to  decay,  for  tank  plank,  trestles  and 
framing.     The  sap-wood  is  very  thin. 

Pinus  taeda,  L-,  the  loblolly  pine,  occurs  from  the  coast  as  far 
west  as  Granville  and  Anson  counties.  Although  it  makes  its  best 
development,  reaching  its  largest  size  and  forming  its  best  wood,  on 
the  moist  land  bordering  streams  and  swamps,  mixed  with  hardwoods 
of  various  kinds,  it  nevertheless  grows  well  on  fresh  uplands, 
particularly  in  old  fields,  where,  unmixed  with  other  trees  it  grows 
rapidly  and  forms  a  good  timber.  It  is  the  largest  of  southern  pines, 
reaching  a  height  of  140  feet  and  a  diameter  of  4.5  to  5  feet  above  the 
swollen  base  and  forming  a  long,  clear,  tapering  trunk.  The  wood 
is  coarser  grained  than  that  of  the  long-leaf  pine  and  is  especially 
suitable  for  panneling,  wainscotting,  and  ceiling.  It  also  makes 
excellent  flooring  when  rift  sawed  as  it  does  not  sliver.  For  such  uses 
the  smaller  and  "sap  trees"  make  the  best  lumber  as  the  kiln  dried 
sap-wood  lumber  takes  paint  better  than  the  heart-wood.  The  large 
trees,  which  in  a  great  part  are  heart-wood,  are  used  for  heavy 
framing  and  in  naval  construction.  The  lumber  is  marketed  largely 
in  eastern  cities  and  chiefly  as  North  Carolina  pine,  but  the  common 
field  name  for  the  tree  in  North  Carolina  is  short-leaf  or  old-field 
pine,  though  swamp  and  slash  pine  are  frequently  applied  and 
rosemary  pine  is  the  name  given  to  the  largest  stocks  with  a  small 
proportion  of  sap-wood.  The  sylvicultural  possibilities  of  this  tree 
make  it  one  of  the  most  important  of  eastern  American  trees  as  it  has 
a  strong  and  valuable  wood,  rapid  growth,  is  liable  to  but  few  injuries, 
is  readily  reproduced,  and  grows  well  under  divers  conditions  of 
treatment  and  on  various  soils.  Young  trees  where  they  occur  should 
be  protected  as  they  soon  become  large   enough  for  use,  and  the 


42  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

growth  should  be  kept  as  thick  as  possible  that  the  lower  limbs  may 
be  shaded  of  and  clear  stems  formed.  From  3,500  to  4,000  feet, 
board  measure,  per  acre  is  considered  an  average  yield  for  this  pine. 

Pinus  echinata,  Mill.,  the  short-leaf  pine  or  yellow  pine,  as  it  is 
usually  called  in  this  State,  occurs  throughout  the  Piedmont  forestal 
region,  and  south  of  the  French  Broad  river  in  the  Mountain  region. 
It  is  found  as  a  forest  tree,  neither  on  the  most  fertile  uplands  nor  on 
the  lowlands,  but  occupies  soils  which  are  poor  or  of  medium  fertility. 
It  reaches  its  largest  size,  however,  on  the  better  class  of  loamy  soils, 
often  being  80  to  90  feet  high  and  2.5  to  3  feet  in  diameter,  where  it 
is  associated  with  the  white  oak  and  various  black  oaks,  the  red  and 
white-heart  hickories  and  dogwood,  but  it  is  far  more  abundant  on  close 
or  shallower  soils  growing  with  the  post  and  black-jack  oaks,  which 
often  form  a  lower  story  beneath  the  open  upper  story  of  pines.  The 
wood  is  yellow,  soft,  rather  light,  even  grained  and  easy  to  work  and 
is  largely  used  as  a  building  material  where  ever  the  tree  occurs.  It 
is  sawn  for  shipment  but  not  to  so  large  an  extent  as  either  of  the 
pines  previously  described.  The  timber  of  the  regrowth  of  this  tree 
in  old  fields  and  waste  places  is  largely  sap-wood,  and  when  kiln- 
dried,  makes  a  lumber  in  no  way  inferior  to  that  of  the  loblolly  pine. 
Although  there  are  many  places  where  this  tree  does  not  occur  in  the 
forests,  yet  its  young  growth  is  generally  disseminated  where  ever 
fields  have  been  abandoned  or  woods  closely  culled,  so  that  the  sig- 
nificance of  the  term  "oak  lands"  no  longer  holds  strictly  true. 
These  old-field  sap  pines,  when  allowed  to  grow  and  reach  a  large 
size,  form  a  heartwood  as  large  and  equally  as  good  as  that  of  the 
original  growth  of  pine  in  the  forest.  Although  this  pine  makes  a 
fair  growth  when  growing  alone,  unmixed  with  other  trees,  its  most 
rapid  growth  and  the  largest  stocks,  freest  from  knots  and  limbs  and 
with  the  greatest  yield  of  timber  from  each  tree,  are  secured  when  the 
tree  is  associated  with  the  white  and  black  oaks  and  the  hickories. 
When  associated  with  these  trees  the  crown  rapidly  pushes  upward 
to  get  to  the  light,  leaving  behind  a  slender,  clear  stem,  which,  when 
suitable  light  conditions  are  assured,  rapidly  enlarges.  When  growing 
unmixed  with  other  trees  the  trunks  are  apt  to  be  knotty  and  limby. 

Four  other  yellow  pines  occur  in  North  Carolina;  one  in  the 
Coastal  region,  Pinus  serotina,  Mx.,  the  savanna  pine,  and  three  in 
the  Piedmont  and  Mountain  regions,  Pinus  Virginiana,  Mill.,  the 
cedar  or  scrub  pine,  P.  rigida,  the  northern  pitch  pine,  and  P. 
pungens,  Michx.  f.,  the  Table  Mountain  pine.  These  are  sometimes 
sawn  into  lumber,  but  the  trees  are  small  or  not  common,  so  the  wood 
is  little  used. 


The  Forest  Trees.  43: 


Pinus  strobus,  I^.,  the  white  pine,  occurs  along  and  near  the 
Blue  Ridge  and  over  local  areas  to  the  west  of  it.  It  is  locally  used 
for  building  and  especially  for  making  shingles  and  box  lumber. 

Taxedium  distichum,  Rich.,  the  cypress,  is  one  of  the  largest 
trees  of  Eastern  America.  It  grows  along  the  margins  of  streams  or 
iu  swamps,  with  the  sweet  gum  and  black  gums,  but  reaches  its 
largest  size  in  swamps  along  and  near  the  coast,  too  deep  for  these 
trees  to  reach  their  largest  dimensions.  Trees  are  often  cut  which  are 
five  or  seven  feet  through  above  the  swollen  base.  The  wood  is  dark 
brown  in  color  and  only  slightly  resinous.  It  stands  exposure 
remarkably  well  and  shrinks  and  swells  but  little  when  subject  to 
alternations  of  temperature  or  of  moisture  and  dryness.  Such 
characteristics  make  the  timber  peculiarly  suitable  for  shingles,  doors, 
sashes  and  exterior  trimming,  and  a  large  amount  is  manufactured  in 
this  State  for  such  purposes.  Much  is  also  sawn  for  boat  and  tank  plank, 
buckets,  tubs,  etc.  On  account  of  its  durability  in  contact  with  the 
soil,  it  is  adapted  for  telegraph  and  telephone  poles,  ties,  posts  and 
similar  uses.  Taxodium  distichum  imbricaria,  (Nutt.,)  Ashe,*  is  a 
smaller  tree  growing  in  ponds  which  dry  up  during  summer.  Its 
timber  is  rarely  used,  where  better  can  be  secured. 

Juniperus  Virginiana,  T,.,  the  red  cedar,  is  frequent  throughout 
the  State  except  in  the  higher  mountains.  It  is  most  abundant  on 
and  near  the  coast  and  there  reaches  its  largest  size  sometimes  being 
fifty  feet  high  and  three  feet  through,  generally,  however,  it  is  far 
smaller.  The  wood,  in  contact  with  the  soil,  or  when  exposed, 
resists  decay  a  long  time  and  for  this  reason  is  largely  used  for  buck- 
ets, posts  and  ties.  It  is  of  slow  growth,  but  reproduces  itself  abund- 
antly and  young  trees  are  to  be  found  where  ever  there  are  old  ones. 

Chamaecyparis  thyoides,  (L,.)  B.  S.  P.,  the  white  cedar  or  juni- 
per, occurs  in  swamps  in  the  Coastal  region  having  a  sandy  or  peaty 
soil  in  the  eastern  zone.  It  is  not  generelly  diffused,  but  where  it 
does  occur  is  quite  abundant,  often  forming  a  great  part  of  the  growth, 
small  bays  and  gums  usually  growing  with  it.  The  wood  is  light, 
soft,  white,  very  durable,  the  sap-wood  lasting  nearly  as  long  as  the 
heartwood.  It  is  largely  used  for  woodenware,  shingles,  telegraph 
poles.  It  grows  rapidly  and  is  one  of  the  most  valuable  of  American 
trees,  being  put  to  many  uses  for  which  no  other  wood  is  so  well 
suited.  No  where  in  the  United  States  is  it  common  and  the  supply 
of  it  is  rapidly  being  exhausted.  The  young  growth  where  found- 
should  be  protected  as  it  soon  becomes  large  enough  to  be  used. 


*Cupressus  disticha  var.  imbricaria,  Nutt.     Gen.  ii,  224. 


44  North  Caroi^ina  and  its  Resources. 

Tsuga  Canadensis,  (L.)  Carr.,  the  hemlock,  is  one  of  the  largest 
trees  in  the  State,  being  frequently  over  loo  feet  high  and  sometimes 
as  high  as  140  feet.  It  is  very  common  along  the  brinks  of  streams 
in  the  high  mountains.  The  timber  is  of  the  same  quality  as  that  of 
the  tree  farther  north,  coarse  grained  and  suitable  only  for  framing 
and  for  coarser  uses.  The  most  valuable  part  of  the  tree  is  the  bark, 
from  which  is  obtained  one  of  the  best  and  most  widely  used  tanning 
extracts.  Except  around  Cranberry,  in  Mitchell  county,  but  little 
timber  has  been  cut  in  this  State  for  this  purpose.  It  is  one  of  the 
most  wasteful  practices,  as,  after  the  bark  is  removed,  no  use  is  made 
of  the  rest  of  the  stock. 

Tsuga  Caroliniana,  Engel.,  the  Carolina  hemlock,  is  a  much 
smaller  tree  than  the  preceding,  and  while  resembling  it  some  in 
general  appearance,  instead  of  having  its  light,  graceful  aspect,  is 
stiffer  and  looks  more  like  a  spruce  or  fir.  It  is  quite  rare,  being 
found  at  intervals  along  and  near  the  Blue  Ridge  from  Georgia  to 
Virginia,  growing  on  dry  ridges  and  exposed  cliffs.  The  bark  has 
tanning  properties  similar  to  those  of  the  true  hemlock.  Both  of 
these  trees  are  known  under  the  local  name  of  spruce  pine. 

Picca  Mariana,  (Mill.)  P.  S.  B.,  the  black  spruce,  or  he  balsam 
as  it  is  called  in  the  mountains  of  this  State  where  it  occurs,  is  found 
along  many  of  the  high  mountains,  forming  on  them  dense  sombre 
forests.  The  trees  are  as  a  general  thing  not  large,  though  occasion- 
ally specimens  may  be  three  feet  through  and  eighty  or  ninety  feet 
high.  It  has  been  used  to  some  extent  in  the  mountains  for  a 
building  material  but  it  is  too  inaccessible  for  general  use  at  the 
present  time. 

Abies  Fraseri,  Pursh,  the  Carolina  balsam  is  found  on  many  of 
the  highest  mountain  summits.  The  wood  of  this  tree  has  considera- 
ble resonant  properties,  and  is  eminently  suitable  for  the  manufacture 
of  sounding  boards  to  musical  instruments.  The  balsam  or  fir  resin 
is  found  in  blisters  in  its  bark.  It  is  used  medicinally  and  is 
gathered  to  some  extent. 

Nine  white  oaks  occur  in  North  Carolina;  seven  of  these  are 
large  trees,  one  is  a  medium  sized  tree,  and  one  is  a  shrub. 

Quercus  alba,  I,.,  the  white  oak  is  decidedly  the  most  valuable 
oak  which  occurs  in  this  State.  It  is  found  in  every  county 
but  is  most  abundant  in  the  Piedmont  region,  though  it  reaches 
its  largest  size  on  the  lower  slopes  of  the  mountains,  where 
however  above  an  elevation  of  3,000  feet,  it  seldom  occurs.  In 
the  Coastal  it  is  rare  except  on  moist  loamy  soils,  being  altogether 
absent  from  the  river  and  swamp  lands  and  equally  so  from  the  loose 


The  Forest  Trees.  45. 


sandy  pine  lands.  But  througliout  the  Piedmont  region  it  is  to  be 
found  on  nearly  all  soils,  either  in  company  with  other  oaks  and 
hickories,  or  with  pine,  and  is  very  often  the  most  prominent  feature 
in  the  forest,  particularly  in  second  growth  woods  on  a  good  soil. 
Trees  four  feet  in  diameter  with  clear  stems  of  from  forty  to  sixty 
feet  are  not  infrequently  cut.  The  qualities  of  its  timber  are  well 
known:  tough,  compact  and  elastic,  light  brown  in  color,  with  a  thin 
sap-wood.  In  contact  with  the  soil  it  is  one  of  the  most  durable 
woods  and  cross  ties  made  from  it  last  from  seven  to  eight  years. 
Some  rims  are  made  from  it  and  a  great  many  felloes  and  wagon 
spokes.  Quarter-sawed  to  show  the  silver  grain,  it  is  used  for 
furniture  and  office  finishing.  Its  bark  is  considered  one  of  the  best 
for  tanning  and  it  is  largely  used  for  that.  When  the  wood  is  to  be 
bent  or  split  young  and  vigorous  trees  are  preferred  as  being  tougher 
and  more  elastic,  many  barrel  staves  being  split  from  it,  for  which 
purpose  it  is  preferred  to  the  other  oaks.  Its  growth  is  rapid  and  it 
reproduces  itself  rapidly  both  from  seed  and  stump-shoots. 

Quercus  monticola,  Michx.,  the  rock  chestnut  oak,  is  somewhat 
similar  to  the  white  oak  in  the  qualities  of  its  timber;  but  the  wood 
is  darker  in  color,  harder  and  more  difficult  to  work.  This  tree 
grows  only  in  the  upper  districts,  usually  along  dry  ridges  with 
various  red  oaks,  and  in  such  situations  becomes  only  a  medium  sized 
tree;  but  along  the  foot  hills  of  the  higher  mountains,  on  a  more 
fertile  soil,  individual  specimens  are  often  found  five  feet  in  diameter. 
This  tree  is  rarely  unsound,  and  for  this  reason  is  preferred  to  all 
other  of  the  inland  oaks  for  ties  and  posts.  The  bark,  which  is  gray, 
deeply  furrowed  and  thick  is  better  than  that  of  all  the  other  eastern 
oaks  for  tanning  and  there  are  several  tanneries  in  the  western  part 
of  North  Carolina  which  are  extensively  using  it.  The  supply  in  all 
of  the  higher  mountain  counties  is  large,  as  in  none  of  these  counties 
has  bark  ever  been  gathered.  A  great  waste  of  timber  goes  on  where 
ever  trees  are  cut  for  their  bark  as  the  wood  is  rarely  utilized.  On 
dry  and  rocky  soil  the  chestnut  oak  makes  a  shade  tree  scarcely 
surpassed,  retaining  the  thickness  of  its  foliage  until  the  trees  are 
old  and  have  reached  a  large  size. 

Quercus  Michauxii,  Nutt.,  the  swamp  chestnut  oak  and  Q.  lyrata, 
Walt.,  the  over-cup  oak,  are  both  found  in  the  swamps  of  the  Pied- 
mont and  Coastal  regions.  The  swamp  chestnut  oak  reaches  a  larger 
size  than  any  other  of  the  southern  white  oaks.  On  the  alluvial 
lands  of  the  Cape  Fear  river,  specimens  of  this  tree  are  to  be  seen  1 8 
to  20  feet  in  circumference,  breast  high,  with  cylindrous  or  tapering 
trunks  which  are  free  from  limbs  for  fifty  or  sixty   feet.     Although 


46  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

these  trees  look  quite  dissimilar  in  their  bark,  leaves  and  acorns,  yet 
their  wood  has  qualities  that  are  alike,  the  wood  of  both  being  rather 
coarse  grained,  open  and  porous  and  liable  to  check  and  warp  in  drying, 
and  inferior  to  that  of  the  other  white  oaks.  It  is  well  suited  how- 
ever for  furniture  and  paneling,  and  large  numbers  of  white  oak 
staves  for  the  West  Indias  are  made  from  it. 

Quercus  minor,  (Alarsh.)  Sarg.,  the  post  oak,  is  very  abundant 
on  dry  soil  throughout  the  Piedmont  region.  In  the  Coastal,  it  is 
frequently  found  on  loamy  soils,  especially  to  the  north  of  the  Neuse 
river,  and  in  the  mountainous  region  below  an  elevation  of  2,000  feet. 
It  is  a  small  tree  reaching  a  height  which  seldom  exceeds  50  to  60 
feet,  with  a  diameter  of  1 8  to  20  inches,  although  on  fertile  soils  on 
the  Piedmont  plateau,  it  reaches  a  height  of  90  feet  and  a  diameter  of 
4  feet.  It  is  especially  suited  for  ties  and  posts  on  account  of  its 
small  size  and  the  durability  of  the  wood  in  contact  with  the  soil, 
where  it  will  remain  sound  as  long  as  that  of  the  white  oak.  The 
post  oak  grows  rapidly  and  its  young  growth  is  abundant  wherever 
the  mature  trees  occur. 

Quercus  prinoides,  Willd.,  the  chinquepin  oak,  is  a  frequent 
shrub  in  the  Piedmont  region.  The  three  other  arborescent  white 
oaks,  Ouercus  prinoides  acuminata,  (Michx),  *Ashe,  the  yellow  oak; 
Q.  macrocarpa,  Michx.,  the  mossy  cup  oak;  and  Q.  platanoides, 
(lyam.)  Sud.,  the  swamp  white  oak,  are  infrequent  trees  occurring 
along  streams  in  many  parts  of  the  State,  but  on  account  of  their 
infrequence,  are  of  little  economic  importance  in  North  Carolina. 
Their  timber,  except  that  of  the  first,  is  inferior  in  quality  to  that  of 
the  other  white  oaks,  being  weaker  and  more  porus. 

There  are  nine  kinds  of  red  and  black  oaks  found  in  North  Caro- 
lina. Of  these  only  seven  can  be  classed  as  timber  trees  and  only 
the  first  five  of  those  mentioned  below  are  of  economic  importance  in 
this  State. 

Quercus  rubra,  ly. ,  the  northern  red  oak,  is  common  in  the  moun- 
tains along  moist  slopes  or  at  a  high  elevation,  even  on  dry  ridges,  and 
is  found  as  far  to  the  eastward  as  Wayne  county,  along  streams  and  on 
rich,  cool  hillsides;  but  it  becomes  more  infrequent  to  the  eastward. 
In  the  mountains,  it  reaches  its  largest  size,  often  being  100  to  120 
feet  high,  with  a  circumference,  breast  high,  of  15  to  22  feet,  the 
tapering  trunk  free  from  limbs  for  two-thirds  of  its  length.  Between 
five  thousand  and  six  thousand  feet  of  boards  have  been  cut  from  a 
single  tree  in  Jackson  county.     The  wood  which  is  brownish-red  in 

*Q.  Prinus  var  acnminata  Miclix.  Hist.  Chen.  Am.  5,  /.  8. 


The  Forest  Trees.  47 


color  and  coarse  grained,  is  considered  one  of  the  best  for  furniture 
making,  since  it  works  easily  and  takes  a  good  polish. 

Quercus  volutina,  I^am.,  the  black  oak,  is  a  large  tree  2  to  3  feet 
in  diameter  and  50  to  80  feet  in  height,  found  in  nearly  every  county 
in  North  Carolina,  but  infrequent  in  the  southeastern  counties  and 
around  the  higher  mountains.  It  is  in  the  deep  red  and  gray  loam 
soils  of  the  Piedmont  region  that  it  becomes  most  abundant  and 
reaches  its  largest  size.  On  these  loams,  associated  with  the  white, 
Spanish  and  post  oaks  and  red-heart  hickory,  it  becomes  the  con- 
spicuous feature  in  the  forest.  The  wood  is  not  so  even  grained  as 
that  of  the  northern  red  oak,  which  it  much  resembles,  but  it  is  more 
easily  worked  and  furniture  manufacturers  in  the  towns  in  the  middle 
part  of  the  State  find  it  well  suited  to  their  requirements. 

Quercus  velutina  coccinea,  (Wang.),  Ashe,*  the  scarlet  oak,  bears 
some  resemblance  to  the  black  oak,  but  is  a  smaller  tree  in  every  way. 
In  North  Carolina  it  is  usually  called  spotted  oak,  on  account  of  its 
light  gray  bark  with  black  stripes  or  spots  on  it  near  the  base  of  the 
trunk.  The  wood  is  coarser  grained  and  more  brittle  than  that  of 
the  black  oak  and  is  not  so  highly  valued.  In  many  places,  however, 
it  is  preferred  for  fellys  and  for  clapboards,  which  when  made  from 
it  are  said  "to  never  wear  out." 

Quercus  digitata  (Marsh.)  Sud,,  the  Spanish  oak  or  southern  red 
oak,  is  a  large  tree  common  in  the  Coastal  region  on  loamy  soils  and 
in  the  Piedmont  region,  but  not  common  in  the  mountainous.  It  has 
wood  resembling  that  of  the  preceding  red  oaks,  but  it  checks  in 
drying  and  decays  more  rapidly  on  exposure.  Most  of  the  red  oak 
Staves  made  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  State  are  from  the  wood  of 
this  tree. 

Quercus  digitata  pago  daefolia,  (Ell.),  Ashe,t  the  swamp  red 
oak,  is  a  tree  having  a  general  resemblance  to  the  Spanish  oak,  but 
it  occurs  only  on  the  margins  of  streams  in  the  Piedmont  and  Coastal 
regions.  The  wood  is  similar  to  that  of  the  Spanish  oak,  and  is 
put  to  the  same  uses. 

Quercus  Texana,  Buckley,  and  Q.  palustris,  Duroi,  are  oaks 
found  along  streams  in  the  Piedmont  plateau  region.  They  are  red 
oakSj  but  are  not  frequent  enough  to  have  distinctive  names  given 
them  in  this  State. 

Quercus  Catesbaei,  Michx,  the  forked-leaf  black-jack  and  Q. 
Marylandica,  Muench,  the  black-jack  oak  are  common  on  poor  land 

*Q.  coccinea  Wang.  Am.  44,  t.  4,  f.  9. 

fQ.  falcata  var.  pagodasfolia  Ell.  Bot.  S.  C.  &  Ga.  ii,  230. 


48  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

in  the  Piedmont  and  Coastal  regions  of  the  State,  the  first  being  con- 
fined to  sandy  soil  in  the  latter  region. 

There  are  four  water  and  willow  oaks  in  North  Carolina.  None 
of  them  are  large  trees  and  all  have  wood  coarse  grained  and  porous 
and  liable  to  check  in  drying. 

Quercus  aquatica  (Lam.)  Walt.,  the  water  oak  and  Q.  phellos, 
ly.,  the  willow  oak,  are  found  throughout  the  eastern  half  of  the  State 
along  and  near  water  courses.  The  wood  of  the  willow  oak  is  better 
than  that  of  the  water  oak  and  is  largely  used  for  fellys.  Both  trees 
are  abundant,  especially  eastward  and  young  trees  are  common  where 
ever  there  are  old  trees.  Their  trunks  are  rarely  over  three  feet  in 
diameter,  and  60  to  70  feet  is  about  the  average  height  of  the  trees. 

Quercus  laurifolia,  Michx.,  the  laurel -leaved  oak,  occurs  only 
along  and  near  the  coast.  Its  foliage  is  evergreen,  or  nearly  so. 
The  wood  is  somewhat  better  than  that  of  the  water  oak  and  the  tree 
is  usually  larger  than  the  water  oak. 

Quercus  imbricaria,  Michx.,  the  shingle  or  turkey  oak,  is  a 
medium-sized  tree  found  on  the  banks  of  mountain  streams;  and  Q. 
brevifolia,  Michx.,  is  a  small  tree  which  grows  on  the  sandy  lands  in 
the  eastern  part  of  the  State. 

Quercus  Virginiana,  Mill.,  the  live  oak,  is  a  large  tree  found 
only  along  the  coast.  It  is  short  bodied,  the  trunk  rarely  being  over 
ten  feet  long,  but  becomes  four  or  five  feet  in  diameter.  The  wood  is 
very  hard  and  is  susceptible  of  a  fine  polish,  but  is  difl&cult  to  work 
and  is  heavier  than  that  of  any  other  of  the  oaks  of  the  eastern 
United  States. 

Castanea  sativa  Americana,  W.  and  C,  the  chestnut,  is  one  of 
the  largest  trees  in  North  Carolina,  reaching  frequently  a  diameter  of 
seven  or  eight  feet.  The  wood  is  soft  and  splits  easily  and  straight, 
and  in  contact  with  the  soil  or  when  exposed  is  extremely  durable. 
Ties  made  from  it  last  from  eight  to  ten  years.  It  takes  a  good 
polish  and  is  suitable  for  cabinet  work  and  interior  finishing.  On 
account  of  its  durability  it  is  largely  used  for  ties,  telegraph  posts, 
and  fence  rails.  It  is  one  of  the  most  abundant  trees  in  the  moun- 
tain region,  but  is  rare  to  the  east  of  the  Blue  Ridge.  It  sprouts  freely 
from  the  stump  and  young  growth  is  common  near  mature  trees.  The 
gathering  of  its  sweet  edible  fruit  is  an  industry  of  some  importance 
in  the  mountain  counties  in  the  late  autumn  if  it  has  been  a  fruitful 
season. 

Fagus  ferruginea.  Ait.,  the  beech,  is  a  medium-sized  tree  occur- 
ring along  streams  or  on  wet  hillsides  throughout  the  State.  The 
wood  of  the  beech  is  compact,  and  diflScult  to  split;  in  color  it   is 


Thk  Forkst  Trees.  49 

nearly  white.     It  is  used  for  making  shoe  lasts  and  tool  handles. 

Betula  lutea,  Michx.,  the  yellow  birch,  is  very  abundant  in  the 
cool,  moist  hollows  of  the  higher  mountains,  where  it  reaches  a 
diameter  of  four  or  five  feet.  Its  white  wood  is  frequently  wavy 
grained  Or  curly  and  is  largely  manufactured  into  veneering  for  pianos 
and  furniture. 

Betula  lenta,  T,.,  the  cherry  birch,  is  more  frequent  in  the  moun- 
tains than  the  preceding  tree.  The  wood,  light  red  in  color  and 
susceptible  of  a  fine  polish,  is  sawn  in  many  places  on  the  mountains 
and  used  in  furniture  making,  for  which  it  is  well  suited.  From  the 
bark  is  distilled  birch  oil,  used  as  a  substitute  for  wintergreen  in 
flavoring. 

Betula  nigra,  L,.,  the  black  birch,  is  a  small  tree,  with  a  porous, 
coarse  grained  wood,  very  common  along  streams  in  most  parts  of  the 
State.  The  wood  is  well  suited  for  the  manufacture  of  trucking 
barrels  and  crates. 

The  two  most  common  ashes  in  the  State  are  Fraxinus  Americana, 
I^.,  the  white  ash,  and  F.  Pennsylvanica,  Marsh.,  the  green  ash,  the 
first  being  found  along  water  courses  in  all  parts  of  the  State,  and  the 
latter  in  the  Piedmont  and  Coastal  regions.  The  wood  of  the  white 
ash  is  better  than  that  of  the  others,  but  there  is  not  much  difference. 
The  wood  is  light,  soft  and  elastic.  F.  Caroliniana  Mill.,  the  water 
ash,  is  a  small  tree  growing  in  deep  swamps  in  the  eastern  part  of  the 
State. 

Robinia  pseudacacia,  L,.,  the  yellow  locust,  is,  as  a  forest  tree, 
confined  to  the  mountains,  where,  on  rich  slopes,  it  becomes  a  tree  80 
feet  high  and  3  feet  in  diameter.  The  firm  wood,  which  is  very 
durable,  is  largely  used  for  pins,  posts,  treenails  and  in  turnery. 
The  locust  has  been  planted  and  become  naturalized  all  through  the 
State. 

Prunus  serotina,  Bhrh.,  the  wild  black  cherry,  is  found  through- 
out North  Carolina,  but  it  is  only  on  the  cool  slopes  of  the  higher 
mountains  that  it  becomes  large  enough  to  be  considered  a  timber 
tree.  In  such  situations,  however,  it  often  forms  a  trunk  four  feet 
through  and  sixty  feet  long,  and  forms  a  considerable  part  of  the 
forest.  It  attains  its  largest  size  in  this  State.  The  beautiful 
reddish  wood  is  extensively  used  for  making  furniture. 

lyiquidambar  styraciflua,  L.,  the  sweet  gum,  reaches  a  height  of 
100  and  a  diameter  of  five  feet  and  ranks  among  the  largest  trees. 
The  red  or  brownish  wood  takes  a  fine  polish  and  is  used  to  some 
extent  in  the  making  of  furniture  and  for  flooring.  Its  most  serious 
defect  is  that  it  is  liable  to  warp  but  this  can  be  prevented  by  careful 


50  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

drying.  In  the  form  of  veneer  it  is  largely  used  for  making  packing 
boxes,  crates  and  truck  barrels.  It  is  found  only  in  swamps  or  near 
streams  but  in  such  situations  is  extremely  common,  except  in  the 
Mountain  region. 

Three  elms  occur  in  North  Carolina,  Ulmus  Americana,  L,.,  the 
white  elm;  U.  alata,  Michx.,  the  southern  elm;  and  U.  fulva,  Michx., 
the  slippery  elm.  The  white  elm  is  the  largest  and  most  abundant  of 
these  trees.  It  is  found  in  swamps  in  the  Piedmont  and  Coastal  regions 
where  it  becomes  a  large  sized  tree.  Except  for  making  hubs  and  fruit 
crates  the  timber  is  put  to  but  few  uses.  All  of  the  elms  are  much 
used  as  shade  trees.  Celtis  occidentalis,  L.,  the  hack  berry,  is  a  large 
tree  growing  along  streams  in  most  parts  of  the  State,  with  foliage 
resembling  that  of  the  elm.  The  wood  however  is  weak  and  heavy 
and  is  rarely  used  except  for  fencing. 

Morus  rubra,  L^.,  the  mulberry,  occurs  in  moist  places  in  nearly 
every  part  of  the  State.  Although  the  bright  yellow  wood  takes  a 
beautiful  polish,  it  is  little  used. 

Platanus  occidentalis,  ly.,  the  sycamore  or  buttonwood,  is  a  large 
tree,  becoming  six  feet  through,  found  along  streams  in  all  parts  of 
the  State.  The  strong  heavy  wood  is  used  for  making  boxes  for  plug 
tobacco,  and  quarter  sawed,  when  it  shows  a  beautifully  marked 
grain,  for  panels  for  furniture  and  interior  finish.  When  turned  into 
veneer  it  shows  handsome  markings  and  in  this  form  is  used  in  house 
finishing. 

Juglans  cinerea,  L.,  the  butternut  or  white  walnut,  is  not  a  very 
common  tree  even  in  the  mountain  counties  where  it  occurs  most 
frequently.  The  light  brown  wood  is  sometimes  used  for  furniture 
making.     It  takes  a  polish  nearly  equal  to  that  of  the  black  walnut. 

Juglans  nigra,  I^.,  the  black  walnut,  grows  in  all  parts  of  the 
State  along  streams  or,  in  the  mountains,  on  rich,  cool  hillsides.  In 
the  Piedmont  and  Coastal  regions  there  are  few  trees  remaining  except 
around  dwellings  and  along  fence  rows,  but  a  great  many  are  yet 
standing  in  the  mountain  counties.  Trees  have  been  cut  in  the 
mountains  four  feet  in  diameter  and  seventy  feet  to  the  lowest  limb, 
but  the  average  diametor  is  not  over  two  feet,  with  a  clear  stem  of  40 
or  50  feet.  It  is  a  tree  of  rapid  growth  and  would  well  repay 
extensive  planting. 

Hicoria  aquatica,  (Michx.  f.)  Brit.,  the  rice  field  hickory  and  H. 
minima,  (Marsh.)  Brit.,  the  bitternut  hickory,  are  found  along  water- 
courses or  in  moist  places,  the  first  only  in  the  southeastern  part  of 
the  State  and  the  last  throughout.  Their  wood  is  softer  and  more 
brittle  and  inferior  to  that  of  the  other  hickories.     H.   alba,    (ly.) 


Thb  Forest  Treks.  51 


Brit.,*  the  white-heart  hickory  is  one  of  the  most  common  kinds  and 
although  it  does  not  become  as  large  a  tree  as  the  others,  has  wood 
of  a  superior  quality,  being  very  elastic  and  tough.  The  wood  of 
this  species  is  largely  white;  of  all  the  others  brownish.  It  is  pre- 
ferred to  the  others,  particularly  for  buggy  spokes  and  rims,  tool 
handles  and  hoops.  The  other  kinds  are,  however,  largely  used  for 
these  purposes  when  the  white-heart  cannot  be  obtained.  H. 
laciniosa,  (Michx.)  Sarg.,  the  great  shag-bark,  is  found  at  intervals 
through  the  middle  part  of  the  State. 

Hicoria  ovata,  (Mill.)  Brit. ,t  the  shag-bark  hickory,  is  a  large 
and  valuable  tree  found  along  streams  and  on  rich  hillsides  through 
the  Piedmont  region  and  to  a  less  extent  in  the  mountains.  The 
brown  wood  splits  exceedingly  straight  and  easily  and  for  this 
reason  it  is  considered  excellent  for  hoops.  H.  odorata,  (Marsh.) 
Sarg.,  the  red-heart  hickory,  is  the  common  large  upland  hickory. 
The  bark  is  sometimes  scaly  and  for  that  reason,  it  is  called  scaly 
bark  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  State.  The  wood  is  considered 
scarcely  inferior  to  that  of  the  white-heart  hickory  and  is  put  to  the 
same  uses.  It  is  very  common,  particularly  on  the  deep  red  loams  in 
the  Piedmont  region.  H.  glabra,  (Mill.)  Brit.,  the  pignut  hickory,  is 
a  smaller  tree  than  the  preceding,  and  grows  generally  on  poorer 
or  rockier  soil.  The  wood  is  inferior  to  that  of  the  red-heart  hick- 
ory in  elasticity  and  strength.  It  is  common  in  parts  of  the  State, 
but  in  other  sections  quite  rare. 

There  are  two  species  of  Tilia  or  linden,  whitewood  or  basswood 
of  the  north,  which  are  abundant  enough  to  be  of  economic  import- 
ance. These  are  the  linden  and  white  linden,  both  abundant  in  the 
mountains.  The  wood  of  both  is  white  and  soft,  and  is  used  for  ceil- 
ing, in  furniture  and  buggy  manufacture.  It  also  makes  good  wood 
pulp.  The  southern  linden,  which  is  found  along  the  coast  is  a  small 
and  rare  tree.  Aesculus  octandra,  Marsh.,  the  buckeye,  has  soft 
wood  suitable  for  ceiling  and  such  uses.  It  reaches  in  the  mountains 
a  large  size,  four  feet  in  diameter  and  eighty  feet  high,  and  is 
abundant  there. 

There  are  four  large  maples  in  North  Carolina.  The  red  maple, 
Acer  rubrum,  I/.,  is  the  most  frequently  met  and  is  the  only  one  in 
any  part  of  the  Coastal  region.  The  wood,  nearlj'-  white,  is  softer 
than  that  of  the  other  species,  and  is  sawn  for  finishing  the  interior 
of  cars. 


*Carya  tormentosa,  Nutt. 
f  Carya  alba,  Nutt. 


52  North  Caroi^ina  and  its  Resources. 

The  Acer  barbatum,  Michx.  the  sugar  or  rock  maple,  is  as  abundant 
in  the  mountain  counties  as  the  red  maple  is  in  the  eastern;  it  is  found 
to  some  extent  in  the  middle  counties  and  sparingly  in  the  eastern. 
It  is  the  largest  of  the  maples.  The  wood  is  light  brown  and  hard. 
The  bird's  eye  and  curly  forms  of  it  are  frequently  met  with.  The 
black  maple,  Acer  nigrum,  Michx.,  is  an  infrequent  tree  confined  to 
the  mountains.  Acer  saccharinum  L.,*  the  white  maple,  or  hard 
maple  as  it  is  sometimes  called,  is  a  large  tree  with  wood  something 
like  that  of  the  sugar  maple.  It  is  confined  to  the  western  part  of 
the  State.  There  are  three  other  arborescent  maples  in  North  Caro- 
lina, but  their  timber  has  no  commercial  value. 

I^iriodendron  tulipifera,  I^.,  the  yellow  poplar,  attains  its  largest 
dimensions  in  North  Carolina,  where  in  the  mountain  counties  it 
grows  to  a  height  of  120  feet  or  over,  with  a  diameter,  breast  high,  of 
seven  or  eight  feet.  It  is  found,  however,  throughout  the  State  and 
is  largely  used  for  building  material,  furniture,  making  packing  boxes, 
crates  and  wood  pulp.  Magnolia  acuminata,  I/.,  the  cucumber  tree, 
a  large  tree  found  frequently  in  the  mountains,  has  wood  similar  to 
that  of  the  yellow  poplar  and  applicable  to  the  same  uses.  There  are 
five  other  species  of  Magnolia  occurring  in  the  State,  but  they  are, 
from  their  infrequence  or  small  size,  of  no  economic  importance  here. 

Hard-wood  trees,  like  dog-wood,  persimmon,  iron  wood  and  horn- 
beam are  common  in  all  parts  of  the  State,  and  the  same  can  be  said 
of  sassafras  and  black  gums. 

FORESTRY  ON  THE  BILTMORE  ESTATE. 

Biltmore  Estate  was  the  first  one  in  this  country  to  establish  a 
Department  of  Forestry  and  to  manage  its  forests  upon  a  practical 
forestry  basis. 

The  United  States  is  behind  all  other  civilized  nations  in  the 
manner  for  caring  for  its  timber  lands.  The  government  lately  has 
waked  up  to  this  fact,  and  realized  that  the  only  way  to  save  our 
forests  was  to  place  them  under  forest  management.  On  the  Biltmore 
Kstate,  the  endeavor  has  been  to  carry  out  only  those  principles  of 
forestry  which  apply  as  well  to  the  government  forests,  or  those 
owned  by  a  lumbering  firm.  Forestry  that  does  not  pay  is  no 
forestry  at  all;  hence,  many  methods  which  are  considered  of  first 
importance  in  the  forests  of  France  and  Germany  are  denied  to  us, 
for  the  simple  reason  that  forestry  in  this  country  is  still  in  its 
infancy. 

*Acer  dasycarpum,  Elirh. 


THE    VANDERBILT   ESTATE  — DRIVEWAY  — MANSION —  BILTMORE    STATION. 


Forestry  on  the  Biltmore  Estate.  53 

The  Forest  Department  of  the  estate  has  under  its  charge 
about  110,000  acres  of  wood  lands,  a  much  larger  tract  than  is  usually- 
assigned  to  any  one  forester.  These  wood  lands  are  divided  into 
two  distinct  parts;  the  first,  containing  10,000  acres,  lies  in  the  valley 
of  the  French  Broad  river  and  is  known  as  the  Biltmore  Forest;  the 
second  part,  containing  nearly  100,000  acres,  lies  almost  entirely 
in  the  mountains,  and  is  known  as  Pisgah  Forest,  so  called  from  Mt. 
Pisgah  which  has  an  elevation  of  over  5,000  feet.  These  two  forests 
cannot  be  treated  upon  the  same  system.  In  Biltmore  Forest  the 
main  obj  ect  has  been  to  increase  the  value  of  the  growing  stock,  to 
protect  the  more  valuable  from  the  faster  growing  species,  and  gradu- 
ally to  secure  an  even  aged  wood,  which  is  important,  as  it  facilitates 
the  management  of  the  forests  in  a  great  degree.  Before  Mr.  Vander- 
bilt  bought  Biltmore  Forest,  most  of  the  large  timber  trees  had  been 
cut  down,  so  it  was  decided,  as  there  was  a  good  sale  in  fire  wood  in 
both  Biltmore  and  Asheville,  to  grow  only  trees  for  fire  wood.  The 
forest  was  composed  almost  entirely  of  oak  and  pine.  The  pine  is  a 
much  faster  growing  tree  than  the  oak,  and  the  oak  is  the  more 
valuable  of  the  two,  hence  something  had  to  be  done  to  help  along 
the  oaks.  This  was  accomplished  by  either  giving  the  oaks  a  start  in 
their  youth,  by  sowing  them  in  distinct  groups,  or  by  cutting  back 
the  pines  when  threatening  to  over-top  and  kill  the  oaks.  A  suflS- 
ciently  dense  covering  must  be  kept  at  all  times,  in  order  that  the 
soil  may  not  deteriorate. 

Pisgah  Forest  has  never  been  lumbered  out.  Here  the  timber 
has  reached  a  large  size,  and  the  Forest  Department  is  growing  only 
timber  trees,  as  it  would  not  pay  to  bring  fire  wood  from  so  great  a 
distance. 

Mr.  Vanderbilt  has  bought  a  band  saw  mill  at  Asheville;  splash 
dams  will  be  built  on  the  creeks  in  Pisgah  Forest,  and  the  logs  will 
be  splashed  into  the  French  Broad  river  and  carried  on  down  to  the 
Mill.  The  amount  of  timber  which  shall  be  cut  in  Pisgah  Forest 
each  year,  and  the  same  holds  good  for  the  amount  of  fire  wood  in 
Biltmore  Forest,  is  fixed  by  what  is  known  as  the  "sanctioned  annual 
yield."  This  is  the  amount  of  wood  that  is  added  to  the  tree  each 
year,  and  from  this  we  are  able  to  find  the  amount  of  wood  added  to 
the  whole  forest  each  year.  If  we  cut  no  more  than  this  our  forests 
will  surely  not  be  diminished. 

Then  too,  there  has  been  a  great  improvement  over  the  usual 
methods  of  lumbering.  Every  tree  that  is  to  be  cut  is  selected  by  the 
forester;  no  trees  under  a  certain  diameter  are  taken.  The  mother 
trees  are  left  to  seed  the  ground  again,  which  they  do  most  liberally 


54  North  Carolina  and  its  Rbsource;s. 

in  this  climate,  but  most  important  of  all,  the  undergrowth  is 
especially  looked  after.  Every  tree  is  felled  carefully,  and  the 
smallest  possible  amount  of  damage  is  done. 

I  have  only  stated  here  the  simplest  principles,  but  by  these 
means  the  forests  of  the  Estate  are  improving  year,  by  year. 

BILTMORE  NURSERY  AND  ABORETUH. 

A  little  more  than  six  years  ago  a  nursery  was  established  on  the 
alluvial  deposits  of  the  Swannanoa  river,  at  Biltmore,  for  propagating 
large  numbers  of  native  and  hardly  exotic  forest  trees  and  shrubs, 
and,  as  this  industry  has  developed  into  one  of  the  largest  and  most 
complete  and  consistent  establishments  of  its  kind,  an  outline  of  the 
progress  and  results  obtained,  together  with  the  future  plans,  may  be 
of  general  interest. 

Up  to  the  time  of  the  founding  of  the  nursery  very  little  was 
known  regarding  the  capabilities  of  the  soil  and  climate  of  the  locality. 
Barring  the  tangible  evidence  of  the  indigenous  species  and  a  few 
foreign  plants  that  were  sparingly  used  about  the  homes  of  the 
residents,  the  plan  of  procedure  was  largely  based  upon  the  available 
meteorological  data.  That  the  scope  of  the  undertaking  might  not 
be  circumscribed  by  lines  falling  within  the  possibilities  of  the  natural 
surroundings,  considerable  freedom  was  exercised  in  ordering  the  first 
consignments  of  stock  plants.  Orders  were  placed  with  the  leading 
nurseries  of  the  world  for  woody  plants  coming  within  the  range  of  the 
definition  above  explained;  in  fact,  everything  of  this  nature  that 
could  be  procured  from  the  commercial  nurseries  and  likely  to  thrive 
in  the  locality  was  included. 

It  will  readily  be  admitted  that  the  first  season's  work  was  one  of 
experiment.  Every  precaution  was  taken  to  encourage  the  plants  to 
produce  a  well  balanced  growth  and  thoroughly  ripen  the  same  before 
the  time  of  killing  frosts.  Finally,  the  ground  was  placed  in  the  best 
mechanical  condition  to  withstand  the  effects  of  winter.  With  intense 
interest,  every  stage  of  development  and  effect  being  carefully 
recorded,  the  entire  aggregation  of  plants  was  watched.  The  first 
winter,  fortunately,  was  not  severe,  and  although  some  losses  were 
sustained,  the  majority  of  the  species  entered  upon  their  second 
season  with  increased  vigor.  On  the  advent  of  the  second  winter  the 
stock  could  not  have  been  in  better  condition  to  withstand  the  hardships 
which  followed.  The  winter  was  very  severe,  accompanied  by  several 
remarkable  depressions  of  the  thermometer.  With  such  a  test  it  is 
evident  that  the  surviving  plants  will  serve  as  an  invaluable  criterion, 
to  the  planter  in  the  mountain  district. 


BiIvTmore;  Nursrey  and  Aborktum.  55 

Having  thus  gained  the  key  to  success,  the  employees  are  kept 
busy  propagating  the  desirable  species  and  varieties,  and  a  glance  at 
the  great  range  of  glass,  frames  and  land  leads  one  to  believe  that  the 
annual  output  might  reach  vast  and  astonishing  numbers.  Since  the 
erection  of  the  first  propagating  house,  between  three  and  four 
millions  of  forest  trees  and  shrubs  have  been  turned  over  to  the  plant- 
ers. In  addition  to  this,  at  the  present  writing,  nearly  two  millions 
of  plants  are  in  course  of  development,  and  the  annual  output  may 
now  be  estimated  at  something  over  two  millions  of  plants. 

Although  the  list  of  species  and  varieties  in  cultivation  on  the 
nursery  is  a  large  one,  it  is  not  complete.  Many  kinds  of  plants 
known  to  science  have  never  been  cultivated,  and  are,  consequently, 
only  procurable  through  the  agency  of  collectors  or  botanical 
exchanges.  Here  again,  the  nursery,  through  its  paid  collectors 
and  generous  contributors,  is  constantly  adding  rare  or  little  known 
plants  to  its  collection.  Among  the  extremely  rare  plants  recently 
introduced  into  cultivation  are  two  from  the  State  of  North  Carolina, 
species  which  were  but  imperfectly  known  to  botanical  science, 
namely,  the  dwarf  sumach  (Rhus  michauxi,  Sargent)  and  the 
deciduous  kalmia  (Kalmia  cuneata,  Michaux). 

A  pertinent  question  might  arise  as  to  the  intrinsic  value  of  many 
of  the  plants  thus  neglected  or  not  in  cultivation.  A  direct  answer 
could  not  be  given  at  the  present  time,  but  their  value  in  pleasing 
combinations  of  foliage  or  Soever  in  landscape  planting  or  home 
decoration  is  possible.  To  the  student  of  certain  branches  of  natural 
history  they  have  an  added  charm,  and  when  it  is  considered  that  the 
efforts  of  the  nursery  in  this  respect  are  preliminary  steps  towards  the 
establishment  of  a  vast  museum  of  living  trees  and  shrubs,  to  be  called 
the  Biltmore  Arboretum,  in  which  will  be  illustrated  examples  of 
every  species  and  sub-species  of  woody  vegetation  that  will  thrive 
unprotected  in  the  soil  and  climate  of  the  locality,  its  future  object 
will  be  better  understood. 

To  facilitate  the  compilation  of  the  list  of  plants  to  be  represented, 
their  identification  and  subsequent  classification  necessary  for  their 
distribution  in  the  arboretum,  a  magnificent  library  and  several 
herbaria  (collections  of  dried  plants)  have  been  installed  in  the  nursery 
buildings  as  a  nucleus  for  the  great  undertaking.  The  library 
already  contains  a  large  number  of  the  masterpieces  in  botanical  lit- 
erature, and  additions  will  be  made  as  rapidly  as  suitable  v/orks  can 
be  procured.  Among  the  herbaria  represented  is  the  type  collection 
of  Dr.  A.  W.  Chapman,  upon  w^hich  he  based  his  work,  the  "Flora 
of  the  Southern  United  States. ' '     The  botanical  collectors  are  now  en- 


56  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

gaged  in  preparing  thousands  of  botanical  specimens  illustrating  tlie 
flora  of  Western  Nortk  Carolina,  and  it  is  expected  to  offer  these 
specimens  and  many  others  from  our  vast  country,  either  living  or 
dried,  in  exchange  for  material  not  represented  in  the  present  collec- 
tion. 

Although  no  planting  has  yet  been  done  on  the  arboretum, 
active  work  has  been  in  progress  for  some  time;  the  energy  being 
expended  in  laying  out  the  line  and  making  the  necessary  clearings, 
la  effect,  the  arboretum  will  appear  as  a  line  of  road  traversing  the 
valleys  and  slopes  for  a  total  distance,  including  several  loop  roads, 
of  about  twelve  miles.  On  either  side,  and  extending  back  for  two 
hundred  feet  or  more,  will  be  planted  the  trees  and  shrubs  it  is 
intended  to  exhibit,  first,  in  isolated  specimens,  second,  in  small 
masses,  and  third,  in  bulk.  To  plant  this  vast  area  with  suitable 
specimens  and  to  provide  a  living  blanket  to  protect  and  cover  the 
intervening  ground  and  space  beneath  the  spread  of  the  greater  trees, 
it  will  require  possibly  more  than  ten  million  plants. 

Beginning  with  the  first  species  coming  within  the  classification 
to  be  adopted,  one  may  pass  along  the  line  and  view  the  ligneous 
plants  of  many  temperate  countries  in  botanical  sequence,  at  least  so 
far  as  the  peculiarities  of  soil  and  exposure  will  admit  of  such  an 
arrangement.  When  the  progress  of  the  nursery  and  aboretum  has 
sufficiently  advanced  and  the  proposed  plantings  have  reached  char- 
acteristic peculiarities,  it  is  expected  that  the  student  and  lover  of 
plants  may  find  ample  field  for  study  and  recreation;  the  planter,  the 
types  of  beauty  appealing  to  his  senses,  and  the  artist,  the  shades  and 
tints  of  Flora  in  her  seasons. 


FLORA. 


The  flora  of  any  region  includes  all  the  indigenous  or  native 
plants,  and  such  foreign  species  as  have  been  introduced  and  show 
their  ability  to  maintain  themselves  without  cultivation.  A  flora 
includes  flowering  or  phaenogamous  plants  as  well  as  flowerless  or 
cryptogamous  plants,  but  only  such  as  grow  wild.  The  specific  con- 
stitution of  a  flora  depends  firstly  upon  the  climate,  and  secondly 
upon  the  geology  of  a  district.  A  third  modifying  force  is  composed 
of  numerous  smaller  factors  of  less  importance  than  either  of  the 
above;  but  which  in  the  aggregate  amount  to  a  very  considerable 
influence.     Among  such  factors  we  may   enumerate  the  following: 


o 


o 


Flora.  57 

(i)  Age  and  condition  of  civilization.  (2)Density  of  population.  (3) 
Methods  of  agriculture.  (4)  Presence  or  absence  of  railroads  and 
navigable  streams. 

In  a  climate  like  ours  virgin  soils  are  usually  covered  by  forest 
growth,  which  by  its  varying  density  shelters  a  greater  number  of 
species  of  low  growing  plants  than  un wooded  land  shows.  As  settle- 
ments grow  older  and  population  denser,  the  forest  gives  way  to 
tilled  fields  and  introduced  crops  which  crowd  out  the  native  species 
of  lesser  economic  value.  Crops  like  cotton  and  corn,  which  require 
clean  cultivation  are  far  more  destructive  to  the  native  species  than 
are  meadows  and  pastures  where  native  plants  have  a  chance  to  com- 
pete with  the  introduced  grasses.  Railroads  and  navigable  rivers 
help  to  introduce  and  spread  foreign  plants  and  in  so  far  they  are  un- 
favorable to  the  native  flora.  The  introduced  species  now  in  North 
Carolina  come  from  Europe,  Eastern  Asia,  South  America  and  the 
ISTorthem  Middle  States  in  about  the  order  given. 

To  most  non-scientific  persons  the  general  aspect  or  physiognomy 
of  a  flora  are  of  more  interest  than  its  specific  constitution. 

A  well  watered  and  varied  landscape  covering  hill  and  dale,  with 
interspersed  groves  and  green  open  spots  is  to  all  more  agreeable  than 
a  monotonous  stretch  of  woodland  or  plain. 

The  total  number  of  distinct  species  growing  within  a  circle  of  say 
twenty-five  miles  diameter,  in  a  fertile  and  well  varied  district,  is  from 
1000  to  1200,  not  including  microscopic  fungi. 

The  great  naturalist,  Humboldt,  after  a  long  life  spent  in  study- 
ing nature  in  all  parts  of  the  globe,  wrote:  "  The  character  of  nature 
in  different  regions  is  most  intimately  associated  with  the  history  of 
the  human  race  and  its  mental  culture.  Climatic  relations  have  to 
a  great  extent  influenced  the  character  of  nations  and  the  degree  of 
gloom  or  cheerfulness  in  the  dispositions  of  men.  Who  does  not  feel 
differently  affected  beneath  the  shade  of  a  beechen  grove,  on  hills 
covered  by  pines,  and  in  a  flowering  meadow  where  the  breeze  mur- 
murs through  the  trembling  foliage  of  the  birch?" 

The  same  author  classifies  vegetation  as  directly  afiecting  land- 
scape, and  indirectly  human  character,  into  sixteen  forms  represent- 
ing as  many  kinds  of  climate  or  geological  formation.  First  there  is 
the  palm  form  characteristic  of  the  moist  hot  climate  of  the  tropics. 
Associated  with  this,  we  usually  find  the  banana  which  furnishes  the 
chief  subsistence  of  the  languid  natives  of  torrid  climes.  The 
mallow  form — most  familiar  to  us  in  the  swamp  hibiscus,  the  garden, 
althea  and  holly-hock,  and  among  economic  plants,  cotton  and  okra 
is  characteristic  of  a  warm,  temperate,  moist  climate.     The  mimosa 


58  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


form — trees  with  light  green,  pinnate  leaves  like  the  black  locust — is. 
characteristic  of  a  climate  cooler  and  drier  than  that  in  which  the 
mallow  form  luxuriates.  The  pine  form,  including  all  cone-bearing 
evergreens,  is  characteristic  of  a  cold-temperate  climate.  The  aerial 
orchid  form  is  tropical  as  are  also  large  leaved  herbaceous  plants  such 
as  the  caladium  and  arum.  The  trailing  form,  or  vines,  is  most 
common  in  the  climate  where  the  mallow  form  is  at  home.  Ferns, 
sedges  and  grasses  seem  to  possess  greater  powers  of  adaptation  than 
any  other  plant  families,  but  we  find  them  most  luxuriant  in  the 
torrid  zone  where  grasses  become  tall,  woody  bamboos  and  ferns 
become  trees. 

A  comprehensive  study  of  nature  teaches  us  that  where  geological 
causes  do  not  interfere  all  forms  of  organic  life,  except  only 
mental  and  moral  endowment,  increases  in  its  abundance,  vigor  and 
perfection  from  the  poles  to  the  equator.  In  traversing  this  distance, 
we  find,  however,  that  each  zone  has  its  own  peculiar  beauties  and 
forms  of  life.  In  each  zone,  too,  we  find  a  certain  co-ordination 
between  the  vegetal  and  animal  life,  and  where  men  exist  their 
social  condition  or  the  state  of  civilization.  In  the  frigid  zone  where 
the  somber  pine  form  characterizes  vegetation  savage  and  untamable 
beasts  abound,  and  the  mental  development  of  mankind  becomes 
stunted,  rigid  and  gloomy.  In  the  torrid  zone  where  vegetation  runs 
riot,  and  there  are  no  seasons  nor  apparent  changes  of  foliage  during 
growth,  we  find  subtle  and  treacherous  wild  beasts  like  the  panther. 
Here  humans  seem  to  become  cruel  as  the  beasts  and  as  ungovernable 
as  the  unreclaimable  forests  and  jungles  among  which  they  live.  In 
the  temperate  zone  with  its  succession  of  seasons,  its  deciduous  flora 
and  flowery  meadows,  we  find  native  the  teachable  animals  and  the 
most  advanced  nations  of  men. 

In  the  temperate  zone  geological  causes  affect  the  composition  of 
the  native  flora  and  the  characters  of  the  animals  and  men  which 
inhabit  therein  much  more  powerfully  than  seems  to  be  the  case  in 
either  the  frigid  or  torrid  zones  where  climate  is  all  powerful.  In 
the  temperate  zone  where  ever  we  find  an  arid  or  barren  soil  there  we 
find  also  the  more  puny  animals  and  men  with  minds  and  characters 
as  meagre  as  their  lands. 

The  moral  of  all  this  is,  that  in  seeking  a  new  home,  we  should 
consider  carefully  the  unmodifiable  factors  of  climate,  geology  and 
locality  as  shown  at  least  in  part  by  the  nature  of  the  indigenous  flora. 

The  State  of  North  Carolina  lies  between  the  parallels  33°  50* 
and  36°  33^  of  north  latitude.  Its  eastern  side,  187^  miles  long,  is 
washed  by  the  Atlantic  Ocean;  its  furtherest  western   extension   i& 


Flora.  59v 

503^  miles  inland,  the  average  elevation  above  the  sea  level  is  640 
feet.  The  highest  point  is  Mitchell's  Peak,  6,888  feet.  The  total 
area  is  52,286  square  miles,  of  which  3,620  square  miles  are  water, 
and  48,666  square  miles  land.  Climatically,  about  two-thirds  of  the 
State  belongs  to  the  northern  or  temperate  type,  and  the  remainder 
to  the  southern  or  sub-tropical  tj^pe.  The  State  is  divided  by  geo- 
logical causes  into  three  well-marked  districts  each  having  a  distinct 
and  different  flora.  The  Coastal  Plain  region  consists  of  a  low, 
sandy  plain  of  about  150  miles  in  width,  which  in  comparatively 
recent  times,  geologically  speaking,  has  emerged  from  the  sea.  !Ex- 
tensive  swamps  fringe  the  coast  along  its  whole  extent. 

The  long  leaf  or  southern  pine, — Pimcs  Australis,  Mx.  is  the  pre- 
dominant growth,  with  the  loblolly  pine, — Pinus  iaeda,  Mx.  and  scrub 
oak  Quercus  Catesbaei  as  secondary  factors.  The  herbaceous  growth 
is  chiefly  wire  grass, — Aristida  sficfa,  Mx.  and  A.  purpurea,  Mx. 
Plants  of  the  composite  or  aster  family  abound  in  their  seasons,  the 
most  common  genera  being  Chrysopsis,  Silphiuni,  Aster,  Peterocaulon, 
Helianthus  and  Liatris.  Legtmihious  plants,  chiefly  Liipinus, 
Tephrosia  and  Stylosanthes  abound,  but  as  a  whole  the  drier  portion 
of  this  region  is  very  poor  in  species.  Along  streams,  "branches" 
as  they  are  called,  we  find  a  more  luxuriant  growth.  Here,  in  addi- 
tion to  the  above  species,  we  find  among  trees  and  shrubs  oaks  of 
many  species,  Sour  Gum,  Nyssa  aquatic  a  L.;  Sweet  Bay,  Gordonia 
Lasianthus,  L;  ditid.  its  c\oSQ.XQ.\^tiwQ  Stuartia  Virginiea,  Cav. — both  of 
which  belong  to  the  camellia  and  tea  family.  The  "he-huckleberry," 
Cyrilla  racemiflora,  Walt,  abounds  and  the  great  bay.  Magnolia 
Grandiflora,  L.  comes  almost  to  the  Cape  Fear  river. 

The  palmettos,  Sabal  Palmetto,  R.  &  S.  and  .S.  Adansonii,  Guerns. 
come  as  far  North  as  the  Cape  Fear  river.  Among  under-shrubs, 
the  most  common  genera  are  the  blue-berries,  Vacchiium  and  Gaylussa- 
cia;  stagger  bushes,  Andromeda;  sumachs  and  related  genera;  the 
spice  bush,  Clethra;  button  bush,  Cephalanthus;  yopon,  Ilex;  alder, 
Alnus;  pepper  bush,  Ilea,  and  Jersey  tea,  Ceanotkus.  Among  the 
climbing  vines,  we  find  in  profusion  the  grape  Vitis,  four  species; 
Smilax,  seven  species;  Clematis,  two  species;  Virginia  creeper, 
trumpet  flower,  Tecoma;  cross  vine,  Big7ionia;  Carolina  jessamine; 
wild  ginger,  Decumaria;  and  passion  flower,  Passiflora  incara7ita.  L. 
The  southern  cane  grasses,  Arundinaria  gigantea  and  A.  teda  cover  the 
banks  of  streams  to  the  nearly  complete  exclusion  of  other  species  of 
this  family. 

In  the  swamps  the  prevailing  trees  are  the  bald  cypress  Taxo- 
dium,  disiichum,  Rich,  and  white  cedar,  Cupressus  thyoides,  L.  Along: 


6o  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

the  coast,  live  oak  Quercics  virens,  L.  occurs.  All  of  these  trees 
within  the  influence  of  tide  water  are  apt  to  be  covered  by  the  abun- 
dant festoons  of  the  southern  long  moss,  Tillandsia  tisneoides^  L. 
which  is  not  a  moss  at  all,  but  an  epiphytic  plant  closely  related  to  the 
pine  apple  and  to  the  aerial  orchids  of  the  torrid  zone.  We  find  in 
wet  and  boggy  situations  Saggitaria,  Aletris,  Tofieldia,  Zigadenus, 
LacJnia7ithes,  Pleea,  Xyris,  and  the  very  rare  spoon-flower,  Xaiithosvia 
saggitifolia,  Schoti.  Here  also  we  find  quite  a  variety  of  interesting 
carnivorous  plants.  The  most  celebrated  of  these  is  the  Venus  fly-trap, 
Dioiieae  viziscipula,  Ellis.  This  does  not  occur  north  of  the  Neuse 
river  nor  much  below  the  southern  boundary  of  the  State.  It  is  most 
abundant  around  Wilmington,  but  the  recent  extensive  development 
of  truck  farming  in  that  neighborhood  threatens  the  speedy  annihila- 
tion of  this  plant.  Besides  Dioneae  we  find  five  species  of  carnivorous 
pitcher  plants,  viz.  Sarracejiia  rubra,  Walt.;  S.  variolaris,  Mx.;  S. 
Jlava^L.;  S. purpurea, L.;  and  a  doubtful  species,  S.Drommondii,  Croom, 
near  the  South  Carolina  line.  There  are  also  four  species  of  sundew, 
Drosera filiformis ,  Raf;  D.  longifolia,  L.;  D.  rohindifolia  L.;  and  D. 
brevifolia,  Ph.;  Pinguicula  luiea,  Walt;  and  P.  elatior,  Mx.  together 
with  the  closely  related  bladderworts,  Utricularia  injlata,  Walt;  U. 
vulga?'is,  L;  U.  stibulata,  L.  and  U.  cor7i2ita.  Mx.  complete  the  list 
of  carnivorous  or  insect  eating  plants  found  in  this  district.  In  like 
places  we  find  a  great  abundance  of  bull-rushes,  Juncus,  lo  species; 
cat-tails,  2  species;  sedges,  including  about  18  genera  and  no 
species.  Of  grasses,  besides  the  canes,  Paspalu77i,  10  species;  Pa7ii- 
CU771,  25  to  27  species;  U7iiola,  3  species;  A7idropogo7i,  7  species; 
Eriaiithus,  2  species;  ElyTntis,  2  species;  Arisdidia,  5  to  6  species; 
Sporobolus,  3  species;  Leersia,  4  species  and  Ziza7iia^  2  species. 

Of  the  flora  of  the  Piedmont  Plateau  region  we  shall  write  more 
briefly.  The  region  has  been  long  settled  and  more  thoroughly 
cultivated  than  either  of  the  others,  and  the  result  is  that  the  original 
indigenous  growth  has  been  here  largely  destroyed  or  supplanted  by 
introduced  species.  This  is  now  a  country  of  rolling  red  clay  up- 
lands whereon  all  the  common  plants  and  crops  of  the  middle  states 
are  at  home.  Cotton,  tobacco,  grasses  and  cereal  grains  are  the  chief 
staples.  Oaks,  hickories  and  elms  are  the  predominating  trees  with 
short  leaf  pine — Pi7ius  77iitis  Mx.  on  the  ridges  separating  the  water 
sheds  of  difierent  streams.  The  flora  is  a  mixture  of  the  flora  of  the 
eastern  and  western  districts  with  a  very  large  per  cent,  of  intro- 
duced species  familiar  to  dwellers  in  the  middle  states  and  Europe. 

The  Mountain  region  of  the  State  includes  the  foot  hills  and  all 
vthe  valleys  and  domes  of  the   Blue   Ridge   and   Smoky   mountains. 


Flora.  6r 

This  region  has  been  until  comparatively  recent  date  quite  inac- 
cessible, and  hence  the  original  growth  is  still  every-^here  to  be  seen, 
though  the  axe  and  fire  of  the  lumberman  is  now  only  too  frequently 
heard  and  seen  in  the  land.  The  predominating  forest  growth  is 
oaks,  hickories,  black-walnut,  chestnut,  cherry,  white  poplar 
(^Liriodendron) ,  magnolias — five  species  in  the  valleys;  and  white-pine, 
white  spruce,  hemlock  spruce  and  balsam  fir  on  the  higher  peaks. 
On  the  middle  terraces  birches,  limes,  elmS;  ashes,  maples,  and 
willows  complete  the  very  northern  forest  flora.  In  this  case  the 
high  altitude  gives  us  a  climate  equivalent  to  that  which  high 
latitude  gives  to  more  northern  States,  and  the  forest  growth  partakes 
of  the  same  character.  The  undergrowth,  both  shrubby  and 
herbaceous,  is  however,  very  different  from  the  corresponding  flora 
of  northern  climes.  Here  beneath  a  characteristically  northern 
forest  growth  we  find  a  typical  southern  undergrowth.  Besides  the 
gorgeous  flowers  of  the  semi-shrubby  magnolias,  we  find  in  profusion 
the  even  more  striking  bloom  of  the  rhododendrons,  of  which  there 
are  eight  native  species.  Here  is  the  original  home  of  the 
Rhododendron  cataxvbiense,  Mx.  the  parent  of  our  finest  cultivated 
rhododendrons.  Of  kalmia  or  "calico  bush"  there  are  three 
species,  and  related  genera  of  the  Ericaceoiis  famil}"  almost  too 
numerous  to  mention. 

Cranberry  bogs  are  frequent  and  Stiiartia  peniagy^ia — a  diSerent 
and  less  showy  species  than  that  found  in  the  coast  district — 
abounds.  Spireas  of  several  species;  hydrangea,  two  species, 
and  Viburmim,  eight  species  are  very  abundant.  The  sen'ice  berry 
— Amelanchier,  is  much  esteemed  for  its  fruit,  w^hich  is  usually 
obtained  by  cutting  down  the  tree  which  here  grows  25  to  30  feet 
high.  Among  the  climbers  are  grapes,  three  species;  trumpet 
flower;  Virginia  creeper;  honey-suckle,  three  species;  smilax  or 
green  brier,  three  species;  moon  seed,  (^Me7iisper77ni7fi)',  poison 
sumach;  Decumaria  barbata,  L.;  wild  ginger  or  dutchman's  pipe, 
Aristolochia  sipho,  U Her,  and  Virgin's  bower  GlemaJis,  two  species. 

The  herbaceous  growth  is  particularly  rich  in  composite  plants. 
Nearly  all  the  northern  and  most  of  the  southern  species  of  aster  and 
solidago,  or  golden  rod,  abound.  In  early  summer  travelers  by 
railroad  often  pass  for  miles  through  lands  thickly  covered  by  the  bright 
yellow  flowers  of  Senecio  aureus,  L.  var.  iomentosjis,  Mx,  supplanted 
later  in  the  season  by  Bidens  and  Coreopsis.  In  cool  moist  spots  violets 
abound  in  great  profusion.  Fifteen  species  are  found,  all  of  which 
grow  to  an  unusual  size.  On  rocky  cliffs  we  find  plants  of  the 
saxifrage    family    every    where.      The    most    common    genera    are 


62  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

Saxifriga,  five  species;  Astilbe;  Heuchera,  five  species;  Tiat'clla  and 
Mitella.  The  pink  family  is  represented  by  Silene,  five  species; 
Alsine^  three  species;  Spergula  and  Paronychia.  The  beautiful 
evergreen,  and  round  leaved,  Galax  aphylla^  L.  is  fairly  common. 
The  long  lost  and  much  sought  for  plant  Shortia  galacifolia,  Gray, 
has  been  recently  found  in  several  places,  but  has  novi^  been  nearly 
extirpated  by  the  rapacity  of  collectors.  lyily  of  the  valley; 
terrestrial  orchids,  Lilm??i,  three  species;  Trillium,  five  species; 
Acorus,  Orontitini,  and  Arisaema  are  all  very  common.  The 
partridge  berry,  Mitchellia;  and  liver  leaf,  Hepaiica  with  various 
grasses  and  ferns  form  the  ground  carpet. 

At  the  cryptogamic  flora  of  the  State,  we  must  only  glance.  Of 
ferns  our  flora  numbers  38  to  40  species.  Ground  pine,  (^Lycopodium,) 
ten  species;  liver-worts,  70  to  75  species;  mossess,  about  200  species; 
lichens,  about  220  species;  algae  and  sea  weeds,  about  50  species; 
fungi,  2,500  species,  of  which  nearly  100  species  are  edible  mush- 
rooms. 

The  total  number  of  species  of  plants  recorded  from  this  State  is 
about  5,500,  but  as  the  cryptogams  have  not  been  very  exhaustively 
investigated,  it  is  likely  that  the  number  of  species  will  eventually 
reach  over  6,000. 

No  State  in  the  Union,  nor  any  country  of  similar  area  anywhere, 
can  show  a  more  varied  flora  than  North  Carolina,  nor  one  which 
contains  a  greater  number  of  indigenous  plants  of  high  economic 
value.  From  early  colonial  days,  North  Carolina  has  been  the  chief 
scource  of  the  yellow  pine  lumber  and  naval  stores  consumed  in  or 
exported  from  the  United  States.  This  business  has  now,  however, 
passed  to  virgin  fields  further  south,  and  where  the  axe  of  the 
woodman  and  hacker  of  turpentine  gatherer  erstwhile  resounded,  we 
now  see  the  plow  and  the  pruning  knife  of  the  fruit  grower  and  truck 
farmer.  Our  swamp  lands  still  yield  largely  of  cedar,  cypress,  gum 
and  similar  valuable  timbers.  While  our  mountains  contain  vast 
quantities  of  the  most  valuable  hard  wood  suitable  for  furniture  and 
cabinet  work.  This  State  has  for  over  twenty  years  furnished  the 
main  supply  of  the  sweet  chestnuts  sold  in  the  stores — the  spontane- 
ous product  of  our  mountain  slopes. 

For  decades.  North  Carolina  has  been  the  chief  source  of  the 
national  supply  of  crude  vegetable  drugs.  This  industry  has  now 
reached  an  extension  and  volume,  the  importance  of  which  but  few 
outside  the  medical  and  phaimaceutical  professions  appreciate.  The 
number  of  distinct  species  of  important  medical  plants  found  growing 
wild  in  this  State  is  about  seven  hundred. 


CATAWBA  FALLS  — McDowell  county. 


Flora.  63 

"We  liave  already  spoken  of  the  influence  of  geological  formation 
on  the  superimposed  plant  growth.  A  few  words  on  the  value  of 
indigenous  plants  as  indicators  of  the  agricultural  worth  of  the 
underlying  soil  will  close  this  chapter.  Plants,  unlike  animals,  are 
unable  to  change  their  habitations  and  therefore  in  the  course  of  time 
in  accordance  with  the  law  of  "  survival  of  the  fittest,"  each  species 
becomes  specially  adapted  to  one  kind  of  soil.  The  species  which  do 
not  adapt  themselves  fail  to  hold  their  ground  and  are  supplanted  by 
the  species  which  do.  Hence  the  surviving  and  "fittest"  species 
become  trustworthy  indicators  of  the  nature  of  the  soil — if  we  know 
on  what  kind  of  soil  the  species  thrives  best,  or  for  which  it  is 
specially  adapted. 

White  oaks,  hickories  and  elms  and  our  most  common  northern 
shade  trees,  thrive  best  on  a  rich,  strong  clay  upland  soil.  Such  soil 
is  best  adapted,  agriculturally,  for  grasses  and  cereal  grains.  The 
red  oaks  indicate  a  rather  lighter  and  drier  and  poorer  soil,  better 
adapted  for  fruit.  Walnut,  gum  and  tulip  trees  thrive  best  on  a 
rich  moist  soil,  such  as  river  bottoms.  The  buckeye,  especially  the 
sweet  species,  (Aesczilus  Pavia)  indicates  a  soil  rich  in  lime  or  marl. 
The  chestnut  will  not  grow  on  soil  containing  much  lime,  but  luxuri- 
ates in  a  potash  rich  soil.  The  dog-wood,  black  jack  and  scrub  oak, 
indicate  a  very  poor,  stony  or  sandy  soil  of  little  agricultural  value 
except  for  early  truck  farming  and  peach  and  grape  growing  for 
northern  markets. 

Among  herbaceous  plants,  the  cockle  burs  and  Jamestown  weed 
indicate  rich  moist  soil,  and  the  rag  weed  indicates  a  poor  one. 
Asters  indicate  a  thin,  dry  soil,  whereas  sun-flowers  and  most  golden- 
rods  abound  only  on  fertile  lands.  Sedges  and  ferns  grow  only  upon 
soil  too  wet  for  agricultural  purposes.  "Broom  sedges,"  grasses, 
Andropogon,  indicate  a  much  worn  soil  lacking  in  potash,  while  the 
Aristidias,  or  wire  grasses  indicate  one  naturally  deficient  in  all  the 
elements  of  plant  growth.  The  Malvas,  Hibiscus  and  all  plants  of 
the  mallow,  or  cotton,  family  indicate  a  moist  soil. 


FAUNA. 


The  native  living  things  belonging  to  a  given  region  are  called 
its  Fauna  and  Flora,  the  former  including  all  animals  and  the  latter 
all  plants.  It  is  the  Fauna  of  North  Carolina  that  will  now  be 
briefly  considered. 


64  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

The  distribution  of  North  American  land  animals  has  been  ably 
discussed  by  Dr.  J.  A.  Allen,  in  the  Bulletin,  of  the  American 
Museum  of  Natural  History,  of  New  York,  Vol.  4,  1892,  and  also  by 
Dr.  C.  Hart  Merriam,  of  the  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture, 
in  the  publications  of  that  department  (see  particularly,  Year  Book  of 
the  Department  of  Agriculture,  1894.) 

The  classification  adopted  by  Dr.  Allen,  for  faunal  areas,  is  more 
elaborate  than  is  necessary  for  use  here,  and  therefore  the  division  of 
the  North  American  Continent  into  primary  "life  zones,"  by  Dr. 
Merriam,  will  be  the  system  employed.     They  are  as  follows: 

The  Artie  Zone,  lying  north  of  the  northern  limit  of  tree  growth, 
the  land  of  the  Polar  Bear,  Artie  Fox  and  Reindeer  and  the  Hudson- 
ian  Zone,  the  home  of  the  great  Moose  and  embracing  within  its 
limits  the  upper  part  of  the  vast  spruce  forests  of  Labrador  and  cross- 
ing the  continent  to  Alaska,  are  not  represented  in  this  State. 

The  Canadian  Zone  takes  in  the  northern  part  of  New  England, 
New  Brunswick,  Quebec  and  northern  Ontario,  the  southern  part  of 
Newfoundland,  and  extends  across  the  continent  to  the  Valley  of  the 
Yukon,  in  Alaska  and,  in  spite  of  our  southern  situation,  the  fauna 
of  this  zone  occurs  in  North  Carolina  along  the  crests  of  the  Blue 
Ridge  and  the  Great  Smoky  Mountains.  The  boundaries  of  this 
division  with  us  are,  of  course,  determined  by  the  altitude,  the  lower 
limit  being  about  4,500  feet,  (see  Brewster,  on  Birds  of  Western 
North  Carolina,  "Auk,  "Jan.  1886).  Ofanimals  belonging  to  this  fauna 
and  having  a  range  to  the  far  north  but  occurring  in  this  State  may  be 
mentioned — the  Canada  Lynx  (^Lynx  canadensis)  and  the  Red  Squirrel 
{Scmriis  hudsonius'),  the  "Boomer' '  of  our  mountains.  Among  the  sum- 
mer birds  are  the  Carolina  Snow  bird  {Jiinco  hyejnalis  caroliiiensis). 
Mountain  Solitary  Vireo  ( Vireo  solitarius  alticola),  Blackburnian 
"Warbler  {Dendroica  b lac kburjiiae) ,W\nier  Wren  (  Troglodytes  hiemalis), 
Redbreasted  Nuthatch  (Sitta  canadensis)  ,^c.  It  is  a  remarkable  feature 
of  North  Carolina  animal  life  that  a  stretch  of  country  lying  between 
the  paralells  34°  and  37°,  as  this  State  does,  should  possess  among 
its  native  animals  and  birds  species  that  belong  naturally  to  a  fauna 
characteristic  of  the  great  forests  of  Canada  and  that  reaches  on  its 
northern  border  to  beyond  60°  of  north  latitude.  But  to  this  great 
degree  does  the  altitude  of  our  mountain  peaks  modify  their  southern 
position.  This  is  the  region  of  such  northern  trees  as  the  firs  and 
spruces,  forests  of  which  cap  the  towering  peaks  'of  these  North 
Carolina  mountain  chains. 

With  its  upper  limit  coincident  with  the  lower  limit  of  the 
Canadian,  we  come  next  to  the  transition  zone — the  Alleghanian  Fauna 


Fauna.  65 

of  Dr.  Allen.  This  seems  to  be  a  region  in  whicli  a  mingling  of 
southern  and  northern  forms  of  life  is  evident,  although  its  character- 
istic life  is  sufficiently  well  defined  to  admit  of  its  recognition  as  a 
feunal  division.  Among  the  notable  animals  belonging  to  this  fauna 
was,  in  olden  times,  the  Elk  or  Wapiti  {^Cervics  canadensis)^  noble 
herds  of  which  ranged  the  mountain  sides  and  vallej^s  of  the  western 
region  of  the  old  North  State.  But,  alas,  that  was  long  ago,  and 
unless  reintroduced  and  afterwards  protected,  they  will  never  range 
those  mountain  sides  again.  Here  also  we  find  that  queer  animal, 
the  Star-nosed  Mole,  which  is  found  even  to  the  northern  limit  of  the 
Canadian  Zone.  Among  the  summer  birds  are  Wilson's  Thrusli 
(JTurdus  fuscescens'),  Yellow-throated  'Sf'ix^o  {Vireo  flavifrons),  Rose- 
breasted  Grosbeak  (^Habia  ludoviciand) .  We  also  find  such  southern 
Species  of  birds  as  Orioles,  Catbird  {Galeoscopies  carolinensis),  Brown 
Thrasher  (^Harporhynchiis  7ufus~)  and  such  animals  as  common  Mole 
{Scalops  aqtiaticus)  and  Cotton-tail  Rabbit  {Leptis  sylvatictis^  mingling 
with  the  above.  The  lower  limit  of  this  fauna  Mr.  Brewster  places 
at  about  2,500  feet,  but  it  must  be  understood  that  the  boundaries  of 
none  of  these  divisions  are,  or  can  be,  very  sharply  defined,  as  there 
is  necessarily  a  great  overlapping  of  species  from  one  to  the  other, 
and  this  overlapping  and  mixing  of  the  life  belonging  to  one  zone 
into  that  of  another  varies  very  much  with  individual  localities. 
That  celebrated  weather  prophet,  the  Woodchuck  or  Ground  Hog 
belongs  here  and  is  by  no  means  uncommon  in  suitable  localities  ia 
western  North  Carolina. 

Next  we  come  to  the  zone  that  covers  a  greater  amount  of  the 
State's  area  than  any  other — namely,  the  Carolinian.  This  is  not  a 
projecting  spur  from  more  northerly  zones  running  down  into  the 
State  only  by  way  of  the  mountain  ranges,  as  were  the  two  former, 
but  is  more  especially  a  fauna  of  the  Piedmont  Plateau  region  and 
of  the  western  border  of  the  Coastal  Plain  region  of  the  State.  It  is, 
as  its  name  implies,  distinctively  Carolinian  in  its  character.  The 
Opossum  {DidelpJiys  virginiamis) ,  the  Gray  Fox  {Urocyoyi  cinereo- 
argentatiis) ,  the  Fox  Squirrel  {Sciurus  niger),  are  animals  character- 
istic of  this  division,  and  among  the  birds  we  find  such  well  known 
southern  forms  as  Carolina  Wren  (  Thryothoriis  ludoviciamcs),  Cardinal 
or  Red-bird  (^Cardinalis  cardmalis,)  Gnatcatcher  (^Polioptila  caerulea^, 
Mocking  bird  {Mhmcs  polyglottos').  The  Molly  Cotton-tail  (^Lepus 
sylvaticus'),  is  a  common  and  inextinguishable  characteristic  feature 
here,  and  pretty  much  the  same  might  be  said  of  our  chipper  anr* 
lively  little  Bob  White — our  Partridge,  in  spite  of  what  the  ' '  quail 
hunters  call  him. 


66  North  Carolina  and  its  Rksources. 

Beginning  near  the  coast  at  the  extreme  northeast  corner  of  the 
State,  running  southward  and  westward  and  gradually  widening  on  its 
way  down  as  latitude  modifies  altitude  we  find  a  strip  of  country  con- 
taining life  features  much  more  tropical  in  character  than  those  pre- 
viously considered.  This  is  the  northern  corner  of  the  Austro-riparian 
or  lyouisianian  Zone.  This  zone  includes  the  whole  of  the  south 
Atlantic  coast  region,  a  wide  expanse  of  country  bordering  the 
northern  shores  of  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  and  the  whole  of  Florida  with 
the  exception  of  its  extreme  southern  coast  line.  The  Alligator 
{Alligator  mississippieiisis)  now  begins  to  show  himself  and  is  plentiful 
and  attains  a  large  size  along  the  southern  half  of  our  tide-water 
region.  Several  species  of  the  smaller  rodents  belong  to  this  zone, 
notably  the  Cotton  Rat,  Eice-field  Rat  and  Wood  Rat,  and  the 
Marsh  Rabbit  {Lepus  palustris)  reaches  the  northern  limit  of  his 
range  on  the  coast  marshes  of  North  Carolina.  The  peculiar  Big- 
eared  Bat  is  found  associated  with  the  above,  and  the  change  in  bird 
life  is  as  noticeable  as  that  in  mammals.  The  Chuck-will's  widow 
takes  the  place  of  the  Whippoorwill  and  formerly  this  zone  received 
added  brilliance  in  North  Carolina  by  the  presence  of  the  gaudy  and 
noisy  Carolina  Parroquet  {Conurus  carolinensis),  now,  unfortunately, 
almost  confined  to  southern  Florida.  The  great  and  rare  Ivory-billed 
Woodpecker  was  also  a  former  example  of  this  life  division,  found  on 
our  coast  at  least  as  far  north  as  Beaufort  Harbor,  but  his  day  has 
also,  apparently,  gone  by.  Those  interesting  creatures  the  Ground 
and  Diamond  Rattlesnakes  also  come  in  here,  and  the  Cotton-mouth 
Water  Moccason  {Agkistrodon  piscivorus)  is  their  equal  as  an  awe- 
inspiring  Austro-riparian  representative.  Siren  and  Amphiuma  are 
two  water  animals  quite  characteristic  of  this  zone,  and  their  bites, 
like  those  of  hundreds  of  other  and  equally  totally  harmless  creatures, 
are  regarded  as  deadly  poisonous.  The  great  Brown  Pelican  and  the 
swift  and  graceful  Swallow-tailed  Kite,  are  both  features  of  this 
division  of  animal  life,  and  the  Black  Vulture,  that  very  useful  but 
not  beautiful  bird  that  seems  equally  at  home  in  the  pure  ether  a 
thousand  fathoms  above  the  earth,  or  in  the  dark  and  odorous  interior 
of  a  dead  mule,  is  always  with  us. 

It  is  a  matter  of  interest,  although  having  no  bearing  on  present 
day  fauna,  that  the  huge  Mastodon  once  roamed  our  fields  and  forests 
and  the  great  prehistoric  elephant  {Elephas  americanus,')  nearly  allied 
to  the  "mountainous  Mammoth"  of  the  Old  World,  was  also  a  North 
Carolinian  in  days  gone  by.  So,  also  were  many  other  rare  and 
interesting  animals,  now  only  known  by  their  fossil  remains.  Loose 
bones  of  extinct  whales,  in  some  cases  a  good  part  of  the  entire 


Fauna.  67 

skeleton,  have  been  found  in  numerous  localities,  and  in  Halifax 
county  some  huge  fragments  of  the  skull  were  sufficiently  entire  to 
give  a  good  idea  of  the  size  of  the  complete  animal.  This  whale  was 
identified  by  Professor  Cope  and  by  him  named  Mesoteras  Kerrianus 
in  honor  of  its  discoverer.  Professor  \V.  C.  Kerr,  late  State  Geologist. 
Its  length  was  estimated  at  80  feet,  the  largest  extinct  baleen  whale 
ever  found.  Another  well  knov/n  fossil  whale  lay  across  the  bed  of  a 
creek  in  the  same  county  and  was  used,  during  low  water,  as  a  footlog. 

From  the  foregoing  brief  sketch  it  will  be  seen  how  widely  varied 
is  the  character  of  the  animal  life  belonging  to  North  Carolina.  As 
Dr.  Merriam  so  truthfully  says  in  his  report  as  head  of  the  Division 
of  Ornithology  and  Mammalogy  in  the  Year  Book  of  the  United 
States  Department  of  Agriculture  for  1894: 

"An  accurate  knowledge  of  the  areas  which,  by  virtue  of  their 
climatic  conditions,  are  fitted  for  the  cultivation  of  particular  crops  is 
of  such  obvious  importance  to  agriculture  that  the  Division  of 
Ornithology  and  Mammalogy  was  early  led  to  make  a  special  study 
of  the  geographic  distribution  of  the  land  animals  and  plants  of  North 
America,  for  the  boundaries  inhabited  by  native  species  were  believed 
to  coincide  with  those  suited  to  the  production  of  particular  kinds  of 
fruit,  grain  and  tubers,  and  for  the  rearing  of  particular  breeds  of 
domesticated  animals. 

"When  the  boundaries  and  life  zones  and  areas  are  accurately 
mapped,  the  agriculturist  need  only  ascertain  the  faunal  area  to 
which  a  particular  crop  or  garden  plant  of  limited  range  belongs  in 
order  to  know  beforehand  just  where  it  may  be  introduced  with 
every  prospect  of  success,  soil  and  other  local  modifying  influences 
being  suitable;  and  in  the  case  of  weeds  and  of  injurious  and  benefi- 
cial mammals,  birds  and  insects,  he  would  know  what  kinds  were  to 
be  looked  for  in  his  immediate  vicinity,  and  could  prepare  in  advance 
for  noxious  species  that  from  time  to  time  suddenly  extend  their 
range.  *  *  *  =f=  In  short  a  knowledge  of  the  natural  life  areas  of  the 
United  States  and  of  their  distinctive  species  and  crops,  would  enable  our 
farmers  and  fruit  growers  to  select  the  products  best  adapted  to  their 
localities,  and  would  help  them  in  their  battle  with  harmful  species." 

Such  being  the  case,  where,  indeed,  is  the  limit  to  the  agricul- 
tural possibilities  of  a  State  in  which  the  native  animal  life  includes 
such  widely  difi"erent  forms  as,  say,  the  Canada  Lynx,  with  a  range 
almost  reaching  the  Artie  Sea,  on  the  one  hand,  and  on  the  other,  the 
great  Florida  Alligator,  whose  center  of  abundance  is  well  within  the 
limits  of  tropical  America,  the  land  of  the  cocoanut,  the  lemon  and 
the  orange. 


68  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


GEOLOGY. 


Even  the  casual  observer  who  travels  across  the  State  of  North 
Carolina  from  its  eastern  shores  to  its  western  boundary  will  see  that 
when  he  has  gone  about  half  way  he  passes  from  a  region  which  is 
very  level  or  gently  undulating,  and  the  surface  of  which  is  covered 
with  sand  and  loam  soils  from  which  hard  rocks  are  entirely  absent, 
to  another,  the  surface  of  which  becomes  more  and  more  hilly  until 
it  culminates  in  mountains  in  the  western  portion  of  the  State,  and 
the  soil  of  which  is  more  or  less  mingled  with  the  hard  granitic  and 
slaty  rocks  from  which  they  have  been  formed. 

A  little  more  traveling  in  this  region  will  be  sufl&cient  to  indi- 
cate that  the  geologic  formations  of  the  eastern  half  of  the  State, 
which  has  been  designated  as  the  Coastal  Plain  Region,  are  radically 
different  and  much  younger  than  that  of  the  western  half,  embracing 
the  Piedmont  Plateau  and  Mountain  regions.  The  boundary  line  which 
separates  these  two  great  geologic  divisions  extends  from  near  Weldon 
on  the  north  by  way  of  Raleigh  to  near  Wadesboro  on  the  southwest. 

In  age  instead  of  being  contiguous  the  areas  are  widely  separ- 
ated; the  formation  covering  the  Coastal  Plain  being  one  of  the  most 
recent,  while  those  of  the  Piedmont  Plateau  (excepting  the  limited 
red  sandstone  or  Trias  areas)  being  among  the  oldest. 

The  accompanying  sketch  map  indicates  in  a  general  way  the 
limits  of  these  two  general  areas,  and  the  minor  geologic  groups  of 
the  Piedmont  Plateau  and  Mountain  regions.  Formations  of  the 
Coastal  Plain  are  shown  as  a  unit  for  the  reason  that  notwithstand- 
ing that  they  belong  to  at  least  five  successive  geologic  periods,  5^et 
being  spread  one  directly  on  top  of  the  other  it  is  impossible  to  indi- 
cate them  individually  on  a  map  of  this  character. 

The  Coastal  Plain  region,  as  indicated  above,  along  its  eastern 
boarders  contains  the  sounds,  bays,  the  sand  dunes  and  ridges,  the 
swamps  and  marshes  and  other  characteristics  of  a  seashore  region. 
Further  inland  it  is  generally  level,  and  has  more  of  the  upland  and 
less  of  the  marsh.  Toward  its  western  boundary  the  swamps  nearly 
or  quite  disappear,  the  upland  predominates,  the  surface  becomes 
more  undulating  and  even  hilly  in  places,  and  soils  which  further 
eastward  were  composed  of  fine  sand  and  silt,  along  the  western  bor- 
der of  this  region  contains  a  larger  proportion  of  coarse  sand  or  gravel 
mingled  with  clay. 

Along  the  banks  of  such  rivers  as  the  Cape  Fear  and  Roanoke 
where  these  streams  have  cut  down  through  the  surface  and  left  the 


GBOI.OGY.  69 

high  steep  bluffs  the  material  composing  half  a  dozen  geologic  forma- 
tions are  exposed  to  view,  the  oldest,  the  Potomac  gravel,  sands  and 
clays,  lying  at  the  bottom  on  the  irregular  surface  of  granite  and 
slates;  cretaceous  sands  and  clays;  tertiary  (eocene  and  miocene) 
marls  and  clays;  the  I^afayette  yellow  and  brownish  sands  and  loams; 
and  the  Columbia  sands,  gravels  and  clays,  lying  one  successively 
above  the  other — the  last  of  these,  the  youngest  of  all,  being  on  top. 
Along  the  western  border  of  these  Coastal  Plain  formations  occasional 
outcrops  of  hard  granites  and  slates  are  exposed  along  the  beds  of 
streams  where  the  once  overlying  sands  and  clays  have  been  washed 
away,  but  besides  these  no  large  masses  of  hard  rock  are  to  be  found 
in  this  region  other  than  the  limited  beds  of  limestone  which  are 
exposed  along  the  banks  of  the  streams  in  a  number  of  eastern 
counties,  epecially  in  the  southern  portion  of  the  state. 

In  these  southeastern  counties,  the  limestone  is  exposed  at  the 
surface  along  the  banks  of  the  streams  in  a  large  number  of  localities, 
and  this  rock  may  be  used  for  the  making  of  lime,  macadamizing 
roads,  and  in  some  cases  it  will  do  for  building  purposes.  In  a  few 
places,  as  in  the  neighborhood  of  Castle  Haynes,  New  Hanover 
county,  this  limestone  contains  numerous  phosphate  pebbles  and  over 
considerable  areas  the  limestone  has  dissolved  awaj*-  and  left  the 
phosphate  pebble  in  form  of  phosphate  gravel,  which  has  been 
worked  for  a  number  of  years,  and  can  be  worked  with  equal  success 
on  the  adjoining  Hermitage  property.  Other  phosphate  deposits 
have  been  found  in  Duplin,  Pender,  Onslow  and  Brunswick  counties. 

In  the  Piedmont  Plateau  region,  the  geology  is  much  more  com- 
plex. There  are,  however,  two  narrow  belts  of  comparatively  recent 
rocks;  the  triasic  or  red  sandstone,  the  general  outlines  and  location 
of  which  are  best  indicated  on  the  accompanying  map.  The  more 
eastern  of  these  two  belts,  extending  from  Oxford,  in  Granville 
county,  across  the  state  through  portions  of  Wake,  Durham,  Chatham, 
Moore,  Montgomery,  Richmond  and  Anson  counties,  has  a  maximum 
width  of  about  15  miles.  In  this  formation  are  found  the  coal 
deposits  of  Moore  and  Chatham  counties  and  the  valuable  beds  of  red, 
gray  and  brown  sand-stone,  which  are  described  more  fully  under  head 
coal  and  of  building  stone.  The  more  western  of  these  two  belts  is 
much  more  limited  in  area,  extending  from  the  Virginia  line  across 
portions  of  Rockingham  and  Stokes  counties,  and  having  a  maximum 
width  of  four  or  five  miles. 

The  older  crystaline  rocks,  (granites,  gneisses  and  slates),  extend 
in  belts  of  varying  width  and  length  obliquely  across  the  state  having 
a  general  northeast  and  southwest  course.     The  most  marked  of  these 


70  North  Caroi^ina  and  it.s  Resources. 

is  the  great  slate  belt  which  extends  across  from  Virginia,  through  Per- 
son, Orange,  Chatham,  Randolph,  Stanley,  Union  and  adjoining  coun- 
ties. It  has  a  maximum  width  of  some  forty  miles;  the  rocks  are  every- 
where folded  or  broken,  and  tilted;  and  are  penetrated  by  numerous 
dikes  and  veins;  many  of  the  latter  being  impregnated  with  gold 
bearing  ores.  And  in  the  western  part  of  this  slate  belt,  especially 
in  Davidson  and  Cabarrus  counties,  these  gold  ores  have  associated 
with  them  ores  of  silver,  lead,  zinc  and  copper.  The  region  is  one 
of  hills  and  valleys  and  rapid  streams,  along  which  have  been 
developed  numerous  excellent  water  powers.  Just  west  of  this  slate 
belt,  lies  a  belt  of  granite  and  other  kindred  rocks;  extending  across 
the  state;  having  a  width  varying  from  ten  to  twenty  miles.  These 
rocks  are  also  penetrated  by  numerous  veins  which  carry  gold  bear- 
ing ores;  and  in  some  cases,  especially  in  Guilford  county,  these  are 
also  highly  impregnated  with  copper  ores,  and  in  some  places  this 
granite  belt,  as  well  as  the  slate  belt,  contains  valuable  deposits  of 
iron  ore.  lyying  west  of  this  granite  belt  and  extending  from  it  to 
the  foot  hills  of  the  Blue  Ridge,  is  a  large  area,  the  rocks  of  which 
are  of  gneisses  and  granites,  with  here  and  there  more  limited  belts  of 
slate.  The  rocks  are  very  old,  belonging  probably  to  the  Archaen 
age.  They  are  often  deeply  decayed,  forming  fertile  loam  soils.  In 
some  places,  valuable  and  extensive  beds  of  granite  are  to  be  found. 
At  intervals  throughout  the  entire  region  the  rocks  are  penetrated  by 
quartz  veins  which  contain  in  many  places  gold  bearing  ores;  the 
more  noted  gold  bearing  areas  of  this  region  being  those  in  eastern 
Catawba;  about  the  South  Mountains  in  Burke,  McDowell  and 
Rutherford  counties,  and  in  the  Western  part  of  Caldwell  county. 
There  are  also  in  this  region  valuable  deposits  of  iron;  notably  those 
in  Stokes,  Gaston,  Macon  and  Catawba  counties.  This  region  is 
exceedingly  hilly,  being  penetrated  by  the  Brushy  mountains,  south 
of  the  Yadkin,  and  the  South  mountains,  south  of  the  Catawba 
river. 

The  geology  of  the  mountain  region  is  perhaps  fully  as  compli- 
cated as  that  of  the  Piedmont  Plateau.  Over  the  larger  part  of  the 
region  are  to  be  found  the  older  crystalline  rocks,  greatly  folded  and 
turned  on  their  edges;  and  they  contain  at  intervals  valuable  deposits 
of  iron  ore:  notably  magnetic  iron  ores  in  the  region  about  Cranberry 
in  Mitchell  county;  in  Ashe  and  Madison  counties  and  in  a  number 
of  places  these  rocks  are  also  penetrated  by  veins  carrying  gold, 
silver  and  copper  bearing  ores.  Along  the  line  of  the  Blue  Ridge  and 
again  along  the  line  of  the  Great  Smoky  mountains  are  narrower  belts 
of  rocks,  belonging  to  what  has  been  designated  the  Ocoee  period.. 


Geoi<ogy. 


71 


The  age  of  these  is  not  known,  though  it  is  certain  that  these  rocks 
are  much  younger  than  the  slates  and  gneisses  which  have  just  been 
described.  These  rocks  of  the  Ocoee  formation  contain  also  in 
places  deposits  of  minerals,  especially  the  marbles  and  brown  iron 
ores  of  Cherokee  county.  In  this  region,  as  in  the  Piedmont  Plateau, 
the  rocks  are  decayed  to  a  considerable  depth,  thus  producing  deep 
soils  which  vary  in  character  from  sandy  and  gravelly  loam  to  those 
containing  a  large  proportion  of  clay  in  regions  where  the  rock  itself 
contains  large  proportion  of  hornblende.  These  soils  are  porous  and 
fertile,  and  for  the  most  part  on  the  slopes  of  the  mountains  are  still 
covered  with  virgin  forests. 


ALPHABETICAL  LIST  OF  NATIVE  HINERALS. 


1  Actinolite. 

2  Albite. 

3  Allanite. 

4  Altaite. 

5  Alunogen. 

6  Anatase. 

7  Andesite. 

8  Anglesite. 

9  Anthophyllite. 

10  Anthracite  coal. 

11  Antimony. 

12  Apatite. 

13  Arsenopyrite. 

14  Arfvedsonite. 

15  Argentite. 

16  Asbestos. 

17  Auerlite. 

18  Augite. 

19  Autunite. 

20  Azurite. 

21  Barite. 

22  Barnhardtite. 

23  Beryl. 

24  Biotite. 

25  Bismite. 

26  Bismutite. 

27  Bismuthinite. 

28  Bitumenous  coal. 

29  Bornite. 

30  Breunnerite. 


31  Bronzite. 

32  Brookite. 

33  Calamine. 

34  Calcite. 

35  Cassiterite. 

36  Cerusite. 

37  Cerargyrite. 

38  Cerolite. 

39  Chalcopyrite. 

40  Chalcocite. 

41  Chrysocolla. 

42  Chromite. 

43  Chlorite. 

44  Chloritoid. 

45  Chrysolite. 

46  Chalcanthite. 

47  Chalcedony. 

48  Columbite. 

49  Copper. 

50  Corundum. 

51  Covellite. 

52  Crocidolite. 

53  Crocoite. 

54  Cullasageeite. 

55  Cuprite. 

56  Cuprosheelite. 

57  Cyanite. 

58  Cyrtolite. 

59  Deweylite. 

60  Diamond. 


72 


North  CaroIvIna  and  its  Resources. 


6i  Diaspore. 

62  Dolomite. 

63  Dudleyite. 

64  Dufrenite. 

65  Enstatite. 

66  Epidote. 

67  Fergusonite. 

68  Fibrolite. 

69  Fluorite. 

70  Garnet. 

71  Galena. 

72  Gahnite. 

73  Genthite. 

74  Glauconite. 

75  Gold. 

76  Goslarite. 

77  Gothite. 

78  Graphite. 

79  Gummite. 

80  Halite. 

81  Halloysite. 

82  Hatchettolite. 

83  Hematite. 

84  Hiddenite. 

85  Hyalite. 

86  Hydro  fergusonite. 

87  Ilmenite. 

88  Iron,  (meteoric) 

89  Itacolumyte. 

90  Jefferisite. 

gi  Kammererite  (Var.  penninite) 

92  Kaolinite. 

93  Kerrite. 

94  Ivabradorite. 

95  Lazulite. 

96  Leucopyrite. 

97  Ivimonite. 

98  lyucasite. 

99  Maconite. 
100  Maguesite. 
loi  Magnetite. 
i02  Malachite. 

103  Marcasite. 

104  Margarite. 

105  Marmolite. 

106  Martite. 

107  Melanterite. 

108  Melaconite. 

109  Molybdenite. 
no  Molybdite. 

111  Monazite. 

112  Montanite. 

113  Montmorillonite. 
'114  Muscovite. 

115  Nagyagite. 
ri6  Niter. 

117  Octehedri*-e. 

118  Oligoclase. 

119  Olivenite. 

120  Orthoclase. 

121  Opal. 

W2  Penninite. 


123  Phlogopite. 

124  Phosphuranylite. 

125  Picrolite. 

126  Pleonaste. 

127  Polycrase. 

128  Prochlorite. 

129  Psilomelane. 

130  Pseudomalachite. 

131  Pyrite. 

132  Pyromorphite. 

133  Pyrolusite. 

134  Pyrophyllite. 

135  Pyrrhotite. 

136  Pyroxene. 

137  Quartz. 

138  Rhodochrosite. 

139  Rogersite. 

140  Rutherfordite. 

141  Rutile. 

142  Samarskite. 

143  Saponite. 

144  Scheelite. 

145  Schreibersite. 

146  Scorodite. 

147  Serpentine. 

148  Siderite. 

149  Silver. 

150  Sillimanite. 

151  Smaragdite. 

152  Sphalerite. 

153  Sperrylite. 

154  Spodumeue. 

155  Spinel. 

156  Staurolite. 

157  Steatite. 

158  Stibnite. 

159  Stilbite. 

160  Stolzite. 

161  Succinite  (amber) 

162  Sulphur. 

163  Talc. 

164  Tantalite. 

165  Tetradymite. 

166  Tetrahedrite. 

167  Thorite. 

168  Thulite. 

169  Titanite. 

170  Tourmaline. 

171  Tremolite. 

172  Troilite. 

173  Uraninite. 

174  Uranotil. 

175  Vermiculite. 

176  Vivianite. 

177  Wad. 

178  Wavellite. 

179  Willcoxite. 

180  Wolframite. 
i8r  Xanthitane. 

182  Xenotime. 

183  Zircon. 

184  Zoisite. 


Gold,  Silver  and  Copper.  73 

GOLD,  SILVER  AND  COPPER. 

The  total  amount  of  the  precious  metals  produced  by  the  mines 
of  North  Carolina  up  to  the  end  of  1894  is  estimated  at  approximately 
$24,000,000.00.  The  production  for  the  past  ten  years  is  ascertained 
to  be  $1,295,676.  By  far  the  greater  proportion  of  this  is  gold,  the 
amount  of  silver  being  insignificant. 

The  area  of  the  productive  gold  region  in  the  State  embraces 
some  8,000  to  10,000  square  miles  of  the  middle  and  western  counties. 
It  may  be  divided  into  six  obscurely  defined  belts: 

I.     The  Eastern  Belt. 
The  Slate  Belt. 
The  Igneous  Belt. 
The  Kings  Mountain  Belt. 
The  South  Mountain  Belt. 
The  Mines  West  of  the  Blue  Ridge. 

The  gold  occurs  in  placer  deposits,  in  quartz  fissure  veins,  and 
as  impregnations  in  the  country  schists  and  slates. 

The  gold  is  not  uniformly  distributed  in  the  ore  bodies;  both  the 
veins  and  schists  having  "chimneys"  or  "shoots"  in  which  the  gold 
is  concentrated,  leaving  the  intermediate  parts  relatively  poor.  The 
shoots  have  a  pitch  of  their  own  in  the  ore  body. 

(i).  The  Eastern  Belt  includes  the  counties  of  Warren,  Halifax, 
Franklin  and  Nash.  The  present  known  area  over  which  the  mines 
are  distributed  is  not  less  than  300  square  miles.  The  country  rocks 
are  diorite,  chloritic  schists,  and  gneiss.  The  district  is  character- 
ized by  a  great  abundance  of  narrow  quartz  veinlets  from  a  "line"  to 
i^  inches  in  thickness.  The  gold  appears  originally  to  have  been 
in  these  narrow  seems,  which  have  been  broken  down  in  the  process 
of  weathering,  the  fragments  being  widely  distributed  through  the 
soil,  and  generally  most  abundant  on  the  bed  rock,  fifteen  to  twenty- 
five  feet  below  the  surface,  or  in  favored  sinks  or  channels. 

Among  the  more  noted  veins  of  the  district  are:  the  Portis, 
located  near  Ransom's  Bridge,  in  Franklin  count}'-.  The  operations 
consisted  of  surface  sluicing  and  hydraulicking  the  surface  soil  to  a 
depth  of  5  to  30  feet.  The  upper  decomposed  rock  layer  is  every- 
where auriferous  to  some  extent.  There  are  two  main  zones  of  ore, 
nearly  at  right  angles,  each  about  9  feet  in  total  width,  consisting  of 
reticulated  quartz  veins  in  diorite.  Five  miles  southeast  of  the  Portis 
is  the  Mann-Arrington  mine.  The  ore  body  consists  of  quartz  lenses 
up  to  12  inches  in  thickness  interlaminated  in  the  schists.  The  depth 
of  the  shaft  is  108  feet.  Other  mines  in  this  belt  are  the  Arrington, 
Thomas,  Kearney,  Taylor,  Davis  and  Conyers. 


74  North  Carolina  and  its  Reisourcks. 

(2).  The  Slate  Belt  is  an  area  of  metamorphic  slates  and  schists 
extending  in  a  general  southwesterly  direction  across  the  central  part 
of  the  State,  varying  in  width  from  8  to  50  miles.  The  rocks  are 
argillaceous,  sericitic  and  chloritic,  metamorphosed  slates  and 
schists,  sedimentary  pre  Jura-trias  slates,  and  ancient  devitrified 
volcanic  rocks. 

The  copper  ores  of  Granville  and  Person  counties,  are  at  times 
auriferous,  and,  although  the  contents  of  the  precious  metals  is 
insignificant,  they  may  form  an  important  item  of  profit  in  a  well 
conducted  metallurgical  treatment  of  these  ores  for  copper.  Assays* 
show  from  $2.50  to  $10.75  per  ton  in  gold  and  silver,  and  from  20  to 
48%  of  copper. 

This  copper  belt  is  approximately  ten  miles  in  length.  The  ore 
is  chiefly  chalcocite  and  bornite  in  quartz,  and  occurs  in  lenticular 
veins,  from  a  few  inches  to  14  feet  in  thickness.  The  principal  veins 
are  the  Blue  Wing,  HoUoway,  Mastodon,  Buckeye,  Pool  ,Gillis,  Copper 
World  and  Yancey. 

The  gold  mines  in  Moore  county  are  situated  in  the  northern 
and  western  parts.  At  the  Bell  mine,  eight  miles  northwest  of 
Carthage,  the  mineralized  country  schists  constitute  the  ore,  which 
exists  in  several  narrow  belts  containing  siliceous  seams  from  ^  to  4 
inches  in  thickness.  The  entire  vein  matter  averaging  4  feet,  is 
estimated  to  run  $12.00  per  ton.  The  Burns  mine  is  eleven  miles 
west  of  Carthage.  The  silicified  sericitic  and  chloritic  schists  are 
here  filled  with  quartz  stringers  and  lenticles,  both  the  quartz  and 
portions  of  the  schists  being  auriferous.  Mining  is  done  in  large 
open  cuts,  20  to  100  feet  wide,  to  a  depth  of  about  50  feet.  The 
average  yield  of  the  ore  is  said  to  be  $2.50  to  $3.00  per  ton,  in  free 
gold.  The  Cagle  and  Clegg  mines  are  near  the  Burns,  and  the  nature 
and  character  of  the  ores  are  similar. 

The  Hoover  Hill  mine,  in  Randolph  county,  is  seventeen  miles 
south  of  High  Point.  The  principal  ore  body  is  the  so  called 
"  Briols  "  shoot;  12  feet  wide  and  70  feet  long,  entered  by  a  shaft  350 
feet  deep.  The  ore  is  worth  $8.00  to  $10.00  per  ton.  At  the  Jones 
or  Keystone  mine,  eighteen  miles  southeast  of  Thomasville,  the  ore 
bodies  consist  of  belts  of  mineralized  schists,  two  of  these  being  50 
and  no  feet  wide  respectively.  The  mine  is  a  series  of  open  quarries; 
the  average  value  of  the  working  ore  will  not  fall  under  $3.00 
per  ton,  of  which  about  $2.00  is  extracted  by  milling.     Other  mines 

*In  all  assays  of  this   article  gold  and  silver  are   calculated  at  their  coining 
rates,  usually  gold,  $20.67  and  silver,  $1.29,  per  Troy  ounce. 


Gold,  Silvkr  and  Copper.  75 

in  Randolph,  are  the  I^oftin,  Winningham,  Slack,  Davis  Mountain, 
Sawyer,  Winslow  and  Uwharie. 

The  Emmons  mine  is  fifteen  miles  southeast  of  I/exington,  in 
Davidson  county.  The  ore  body  is  from  three  to  eight  feet  thick, 
and  the  ore  is  only  slightly  auriferous,  and  has  been  worked  mainly 
for  its  copper  contents.  The  main  shaft  is  416  feet  deep  on  the 
incline.  The  Cid  mine  is  i  ^  miles  northeast  of  the  Emmons,  and 
has  ore  similar  to  it.  The  shaft  is  100  feet  deep  on  the  incline.  The 
Silver  Hill  mine  is  ten  miles  southeast  from  Lexington.  The  two 
principal  veins  are  known  as  the  "East"  and  the  "West,"  are 
parallel  and  about  28  feet  apart  on  the  outcrop.  The  gasson  was 
worked  for  gold.  Below  the  water  level,  however,  the  ores  become 
a  complex  mixture  of  silver  bearing  sulphurets,  mainly  galena  and 
zinc  blende.  The  mine  has  opened  to  a  depth  of  760  feet.  Some 
assays  of  the  ores  show: 


Cakbonatbs 


eAKBONAXeS  I 

Gold,  per  ton $  8.27]$  2.07 

Silver       "       20.36      4.65 


Pyrite     I  Galena 


$  3-IO 
4.01 


'•63I1  6.72$   7. II 


10.34  I  4- 13  Is   6.20 


2-97      3-23 


10.73 


|r3-3i|$  7-36  $16.93 


5  4-13 
11.25 


115-38 


The  galena  bearing  ores  show  from  twelve  per  cent,  to  fifty-seven 
per  cent,  of  lead,  and  from  seven  per  cent,  to  thirty-five  per  cent,  of 
zinc.  The  Silver  Valley  mine  is  five  miles  northeast  of  Silver  Hill; 
the  character  of  the  ore  is  almost  identical  to  that  of  the  former. 
The  vein  is  nearly  twenty  feet  wide  at  the  surface;  below,  the  ore- 
shoot  has  a  width  of  five  to  twelve  feet,  and  consists  of  alternate 
bands  of  ore,  slate  and  quartz,  the  ore  seams  being  from  three  to 
eighteen  inches  thick.  The  mine  has  been  opened  to  one  hundred  and 
twenty  feet  vertical  depth.  The  galena  and  blende  carry  from  $1 7.00  to 
$180.00  per  ton  of  gold  and  silver,  from  fifteen  per  cent,  to  twenty-five 
per  cent,  of  lead,  and  from  eleven  per  cent,  to  thirty-two  per  cent,  of 
zinc.  These  ores  have  been  successfully  smelted,  using  copper  ores 
as  a  flux.  The  Welborn  mine,  two  miles  west  of  the  Silver  Hill, 
carries  similar  complex  ores.  The  Conrad  Hill  mine  is  six  miles  east 
of  Lexington.  There  are  two  systems  of  veins,  carrying  copper, 
pyrite  and  gold,  in  quartz  and  siderite.  The  mine  has  been  opened 
to  a  maximum  depth  of  four  hundred  feet,  considerable  bodies  of  ore, 
up  to  eighteen  feet  in  maximum  width,  have  been  exploited  and 
mined.  The  ore  is  essentially  a  copper  ore,  though  it  contains  some 
gold. 

The  Russell  mine  in  Montgomery  county,  is  situated  three  miles^ 
north  of  Eldorado.     The  entire  slate  formation  is  gold  bearing,  but 


76  North  Caroi^ina  and  its  Resources. 

only  certain  belts  are  sufficiently  rich  to  warrant  mining.  There  are 
at  least  six  of  these  belts  within  a  distance  of  2,000  feet  across  the 
strike.  The  ore  bodies  have  been  exploited  and  worked  chiefly  in 
large  open  cuts.  It  is  stated  that  the  average  "run  of  mine"  ore 
milled  $3.00  per  ton.  There  are  streaks  from  four  to  five  feet  wide 
which  went  much  higher.  The  Appalachian  mine  is  situated  near 
Eldorado.  The  ores  are  similar  to  those  of  the  Russell.  The  depth 
of  the  last  working  was  160  feet.  The  Steel  mine  is  two  miles 
southeast  of  Eldorado.  The  ore  body  varies  from  nine  to  twelve  feet 
in  thickness,  and  occasionally  rises  to  twenty  feet.  The  most  valuable 
part  of  the  deposite  consists  of  what  is  locally  called  "string  veins," 
narrow  seams  of  ore  which  run  through  the  mass,  more  or  less  parallel 
to  the  slates.  Some  assays  show  from  $20.00  to  $100.00  per  ton. 
The  Sara  Christian  mine  is  twelve  miles  southwest  of  Troy.  The 
gold  is  found  in  old  channels,  in  gravel  from  one  to  three  feet  in 
thickness.  It  is  generally  in  the  shape  of  nuggets  from  five  to  one 
thousand  penny  weights.  The  aggregate  yield  of  this  mine  in  the 
past  has  been  quite  large,  and  may  orove  of  value  in  the  future. 

Other  mines  in  Montgomery  county  are  the  Beaver  Dam, 
Reynolds,  Carter,  Bright,  Ophir,  Dry  Hollow,  Deep  Flat,  Bunnell 
Mountain,  Worth,  &c. 

The  Crawford  mine  in  Stanly  county  is  four  miles  northeast  of 
Albemarle.  It  is  a  placer  deposit  of  comparatively  recent  discovery. 
The  gravel  bed  is  from  one-half  to  two  feet  in  thickness,  overlaid  by 
two  to  four  feet  of  soil.  The  width  of  the  channel  is  about  two 
hundred  and  fifty  feet.  During  1895  two  notable  nuggets  were  found 
here,  weighing  eight  and  a  half  and  ten  pounds  respectively. 

The  Parker  mine  is  situated  at  New  London.  Numberless  auri- 
ferous quartz  stringer  veins,  from  one  to  eighteen  inches  wide, 
intersect  the  country  rock  in  all  directions.  The  principal  yield  of 
gold  has  been  from  the  ancient  gravel  channels.  The  aggregate 
production  is  estimated  at  $200,000.00. 

Other  mines  in  Stanley  county  are  the  Crowell,  Barringer, 
Haithcock,  Hearne,  lyowder,  &c. 

Rowan  and  Cabarrus  counties  may  be  treated  together.  The 
Gold  Hill  group  of  mines  is  situated  about  fourteen  miles  southeast 
of  Salisbury.  This  is  one  of  the  most  noted  mining  districts  in  the 
State.  The  group  comprises  a  number  of  mines  situated  in  a  belt  of 
auriferous  schists,  nearly  one  and  a-half  miles  long  and  two-thirds 
mile  wide,  in  the  southeast  corner  of  Rowan  county,  extending  into 
Cabarrus  on  the  south,  and  Stanly  on  the  east.  The  character  of  the 
ore  bodies  is  that  common   to   the  "Slate   belt"   elsewhere.     The 


Gold,  Silver  and  Copper.  77 

schists  are  impregnated,  over  certain  widths,  with  auriferous  sul- 
phurets,  accompanied  by  lenticuler  stringers  of  quartz.  There  are  at 
least  ten  well  defined  veins  in  the  district.  The  Randolph,  the  most 
prominent  of  the  ten  veins  under  discussion,  has  been  worked  for  a 
linear  distance  of  one  thousand  five  hundred  feet,  and  to  a  depth  of 
seven  hundred  and  eighty  feet.  The  width  of  the  ore  shoots  is  stated 
to  be  from  six  inches  to  seven  feet.  Some  indication  of  the  range  of 
values  is  given  in  the  following  assays: 

Gold,  per  ton $25.84  $4.14  $568 

Silver    "     "    ,.$     .49  .71  2.26 

$26.33  $4.85  $7.94 

Copper,  per  cent 0.85  2.59  5.96 

The  McMackin  veins  are  rich  in  silver  ores.  Up  to  1874  it  is 
estimated  that  the  total  production  of  the  Gold  Hill  mines  was 
$3,000,000.00,  which  represents  about  twenty-three  per  cent,  of  the 
assay  value  of  the  ores. 

The  Rocky  River  mine  is  situated  ten  miles  southeast  of  Concord, 
in  Cabarrus  county.  A  number  of  shafts  have  been  sunk  on  several 
parallel  lenticular  quartz  veins  to  a  maximum  depth  of  one  hundred 
and  thirty  feet.  The  quartz  assays  from  $3.00  to  $6.00  per  ton,  and 
the  enclosing  schists  themselves  yield  $3.00  per  ton  of  gold.  The 
ore  contains  also  considerable  galena  and  blende.  Other  veins  in  the 
slate  belt  of  Cabarrus  county  are  the  Buffalo,  Biggs,  Furr,  Widen- 
house,  Isenhour,  Mauney,  Nugget,  &c. 

The  Crowell  Mine  in  Union  county  is  fourteen  miles  north  of 
Monroe.  The  vein  matter  is  cellular  quartz,  carrying  galena,  pyrite, 
and  chalcopyrite.  There  are  three  veins  varying  in  thickness  from 
one  to  four  feet.  Assays  show  from  $6.00  to  $13.00  per  ton.  The 
I,ong  mine  is  near  the  Crowell  and  the  ores  are  similar.  The  Moore 
mine  is  three  miles  southeast  of  the  Long.  The  quartz  vein  is  stated 
to  be  five  feet  in  thickness,  with  a  four  inch  pay  streak  of  calcite 
following  the  hanging  wall.  The  ore  contains  besides  free  gold, 
galena,  blende,  chalcopyrite  and  pyrite.  The  Stewart  mine  is  one 
and  a  half  miles  southwest  of  the  Moore.  There  are  three  parallel 
ore  belts,  from  a  few  inches  to  five  feet  in  width.  In  general,  there 
are  numerous  narrow  ore  seams;  the  ore  contains  pyrite  and  galena. 
Assays  show  values  from  $6.00  per  ton  and  upwards.  Other  mines 
in  the  vicinity  are  the  Lemmonds,  New  South,  Crump  and  Battle- 
field. 

There  are  a  number  of  mines  in  the  neighborhood  of  Indian 
Trail,  which  are  apparently  located  in  two  parallel  series  of  veins 


78  North  Carowna  and  its  Resources. 

about  one  half  mile  apart,  comprising  in  the  first  or  western  group 
the  Henry  Phifer  and  Fox  Hill  mines;  and  in  the  second  the  Black, 
Smart,  Secrest  and  Thomas  Hemby.  About  two  miles  south  of 
Indian  Trail  is  situated  a  group  of  mines  comprising  the  Moore  Hill, 
Falger  Hill,  Davis,  Phifer,  Lewis,  Hemby  and  Harkness.  This  zone 
of  auriferous  schists  is  about  three  miles  in  length  and  one-half  mile 
in  width.  For  a  distance  of  two  miles  there  is  an  almost  unbroken  line 
of  pits  and  shallow  shafts.  The  gold  is  not  uniformly  diffused,  but  is 
carried  mostly  in  narrow  parallel  seams,  rarely  more  than  one  or  two 
inches  in  thickness.  The  ore  bodies  as  a  whole,  are  from  one  to  six  feet 
wide.     Assays  show  from  $3.00  to  $16.00  per  ton  of  gold  and  silver. 

The  Bonnie  Bell  Mine  is  one  and  a  half  miles  north  of  Potter's 
Station.  The  general  width  of  the  ore  bearing  belt  is  stated  to  be 
fourteen  feet,  consisting  of  argillaceous  schists  intersected  by  small 
quartz  veinlets. 

The  Howie  Mine  is  about  one  mile  west  of  the  Bonnie  Bell.  The 
ore  bearing  formation  extends  over  a  width  of  four  hundred  feet. 
Within  this  belt  are  as  many  as  eight  so-called  "veins"  or  ore  seams, 
varying  from  eighteen  inches  to  sixteen  feet  in  width.  The  ore 
seams  run  through  a  wide  range  of  values.  The  average  yield  in  the 
mill  at  one  time  was  $13.00  per  ton. 

(3).  The  Igneous  belt  lies  on  the  west  side  of  the  Slate  belt; 
the  formation  consists  of  massive  igneous  plutonic  rocks,  extending 
across  the  slate  in  a  southwesterly  direction,  and  having  a  width  of 
from  fifteen  to  thirty  miles.  It  includes  the  greater  portion  of  Guil- 
ford, Davidson,  Rowan,  Cabarrus  and  practically  the  whole  of  Meck- 
lenburg counties.  The  area  of  the  auriferous  portion,  however,  is 
scarcely  more  than  one  thousand  square  miles. 

The  auriferous  quartz  veins,  which  are  found  in  these  rocks,  are 
the  fillings  of  undoubted  fissures.  The  gold  ores  are  often  cuprifer- 
ous and  rarely  contain  lead  or  zinc. 

The  mines  in  Guilford  county  lie  to  the  south  and  southwest  of 
Greensboro.  They  carry  highly  cupriferous  ores  as  a  rule,  and  have 
been  worked  both  for  gold  and  copper. 

The  Hodges  Hill  mine  is  six  miles  southeast  from  Greensboro 
and  has  a  vein  from  six  inches  to  twelve  feet  in  width.  The  gold  is 
distributed  unequally  through  quartz  siderite  and  chalcopyrite,  the  ore 
assaying  from  $1.00  to  $40.00  per  ton.  The  Fisher  Hill  and  Millis 
Hill  mines  are  five  to  six  miles  south  of  Greensboro.  Fifteen  veins 
are  reported  on  the  property,  one  system  running  north  and  south, 
and  a  second  northeast  and  southwest.  The  ore  bodies  vary  from  four 
inches  to  ten  feet  in  thickness.     The  ores  are  cupriferous. 


Gold,  Silver  and  Copper.  79 

The  Fentress  mine  is  nine  miles  south  of  Greensboro.  The 
deepest  shaft  is  four  hundred  feet  deep.  The  ore  body  varies  from 
one  to  thirteen  feet  in  width.  The  ores  are  chiefly  sulphurets  and 
the  veinstone  is  quartz  and  siderite.  The  Garden  Hill  mine,  three 
miles  east  of  Jamestown,  has  a  vein  some  three  feet  in  width,  the 
gangue  being  quartz  and  brown  ore.  It  has  been  worked  for  a  diotance 
of  five  thousand  feet  along  its  course  the  deepest  shaft  being  two 
hundred  and  fifty-eight  feet  in  vertical  depth.  Some  of  the  ores 
carried  as  high  as  twenty-five  per  cent,  copper,  and  ran  $3.00  to 
$10.00  per  ton  in  gold.  The  North  State  mine,  two  miles  west  of 
Jamestown,  has  a  vein  two  to  twenty  feet  wide,  traced  by  its  outcrop 
some  three  miles.  Other  mines  in  this  county  are  the  Lindsay,  Deep 
River,  Jack's  Hill,  Twin,  Beason,  Harland,  Beard,  Vickery, 
Lander,  &c. 

The  Lalor  mine  in  Davidson  county  is  two  miles  southeast  from 
Thomasville.  There  are  three  shafts,  the  deepest  of  which  is  one 
hundred  and  forty  feet  vertical.  The  vein  carries  iron  and  copper 
sulphurets.  Other  mines  in  the  vicinity  are  the  Kureka,  Loflin  and 
Black. 

In  Rowan  county  a  group  of  mines  is  found  to  the  southwest  of 
Salisbury,  from  two  to  nine  miles  distant.  Among  the  principal 
ones  are  the  Hartman,  Yadkin,  Negus,  Harrison  Hill,  Southern 
Belle,  Goodman,  Randleman  and  Roseman.  The  workings  of  these 
mines  have  been  comparatively  shallow,  160  feet  being  the  deepest  so 
far  as  records  go. 

Another  and  more  important  group  of  mines  situated  three  to 
seven  miles  east  and  southeast  of  Salisbury,  includes  the  four  follow- 
ing: The  New  Discovery  mine  was  worked  to  a  depth  of  one  hundred 
feet.  The  Dunn's  Mt.  mine  has  three  veins.  Work  has  been  done  to 
a  depth  of  one  hundred  and  ninety  feet.  The  Reimer  mine  has  been 
opened  by  three  shafts,  the  deepest  of  which  is  one  hundred  and 
ninety-three  feet.  The  average  width  of  the  fissure  is  three  and 
one-half  feet.  The  veinstone  averaging  this  width,  is  quartz,  and 
carries  ten  per  cent,  sulphurets,  mainly  pyrite.  Ore  probably 
averages  $5.00  to  $6.00  per  ton,  though  some  assays  run  very  high. 
The  Bullion  mine  is  one  and  a  half  miles  from  the  Reimer.  A  seven 
foot  vein  is  reported  at  a  depth  of  ninety  feet,  which  runs  from  $7.00 
to  $16.00  per  ton. 

Another  group  of  mines  is  situated  eight  to  ten  miles  southeast 
of  Salisbury.  Among  these  are  the  Gold  Knob,  Dutch  Creek,  Atlas 
and  Bame,  There  are  about  one  hundred  localities  in  Rowan  known 
to  be  auriferous. 


8o  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

The  Phoenix  mine  in  Cabarrus  county,  is  seven  miles  southeast 
of  Concord.  There  are  three  parallel  veins,  two  hundred  and  one 
thousand  feet  apart.  The  main  Phoenix  vein,  which  has  been  traced 
for  twenty-one  hundred  feet  on  the  surface  and  sunk  upon  to  a  depth 
of  four  hundred  and  twenty-five  feet,  varies  from  one  to  three  feet  in 
width.  The  filling  of  the  fissure  is  quartz,  carrying  from  three  to 
sixty  per  cent,  of  sulphurets  accompanied  by  barite,  calcite  and 
siderite.  The  shaft  extends  to  a  depth  of  four  hundred  and  twenty 
five  feet.  The  mill  yield  of  the  ores  was  about  $10.00  per  ton,  with 
about  $7.50  in  the  sulphurets.  The  ores  also  contain  one  and  a  half 
per  cent,  to  three  per  cent,  of  copper.  The  extraction  of  gold  by 
chlorination  was  ninety  to  ninety-five  per  cent,  of  the  whole.  The 
Tucker  mine  is  one  mile  south  of  the  Phoenix.  The  vein  averages 
eight  inches,  and  the  ore  carries  about  $15.00  per  ton.  The  main 
shaft  was  175  feet  deep.  Other  mines  in  the  vicinity  are  the  Barrier, 
Faggart,  Furness,  Gibb  and  Quaker  City. 

The  Reed  mine  is  ten  miles  southeast  of  Concord.  It  is  of 
special  interest  as  being  the  site  of  the  earliest  recorded  discovery  of 
gold  in  North  Carolina.  The  placer  deposits  have  produced  many 
famous  and  valuable  nuggets.  One  nugget  recently  found  there 
(April,  1896,)  weighed  twenty  pounds,  seven  ounces  and  six  dwts. 
The  auriferous  quartz  veins  are  confined  to  a  large  greenstone  dike 
and  are  from  four  inches  to  three  feet  in  thickness. 

Gold  is  probably  as  widely  diffused  in  Mecklenburg  as  in  any 
other  county  in  the  central  part  of  the  State.  The  productive  area 
covers  about  six  hundred  square  miles,  within  which  are  well  nigh 
one  hundred  mines.  About  half  a  dozen  of  these  are  now  worked, 
but  only  two  or  three  with  vigor.  Among  the  many  mines  in  Mecklen- 
burg are  the  following:  Davidson,  Blake,  Point  Clarke,  Parks,  St. 
Catherine,  Rudisil,  Smith  and  Palmer,  McDonald,  F.  Wilson,  Howell, 
Trotter,  Carson,  Taylor,  Isenhour  and  others. 

The  Rudisil  mine  is  one  mile  south  of  Charlotte;  has  a  vein 
fissure  fifty  feet  wide,  with  two  ore  bodies  or  pay  streaks,  from  two 
to  six  feet  in  thickness,  one  on  either  wall.  Dov/n  to  the  water  level 
the  ores  are  rich  and  easily  treated.  Below  that  level  they  are 
refractory,  containing  iron  and  copper  pyrites.  The  lowest  level  is  at 
three  hundred  and  fifty  feet.  Three  ore  shoots  have  been  explored 
and  worked  from  thirty  to  one  hundred  feet  in  length.  Assays  of 
the  ores  show: 

Gold  per  ton $24.80        $29.97        $36.18        $45-47        $72-35 

Silver trace  .19  .13  trace  trace. 

$24.80        I30.16         $36.31        $45-47  $72.35- 


Gold,  Silver  and  Copper.  8i 


The  St.  Catherine  mine  is  in  the  northern  extension  of  the 
Rudisil  lode.  It  has  been  worked  to  a  depth  of  four  hundred  and 
sixty  feet.  Below  two  hundred  and  fifty  f-^et  there  are  several  large 
shoots  of  low  grade  ore.  The  occurrence  may  be  briefly  stated  as  a 
series  of  obscurely  paralled  seams  of  slate,  with  quartzose  ore  bodies 
two  to  six  feet  in  thickness  between  them.     Assays  show: 

Sulphuretted  Ores. 

Gold,  per  ton $35-i4  I52.i9  $72.41 

Silver 1.14  .5,5  .39 


$36.28  $52-74  j72.8o 

The  Clark  mine  is  two  and  a  half  miles  west  of  Charlotte. 
There  are  two  vein  systems,  the  northeast  and  southwest  running 
system  was  worked  to  a  depth  of  seventy  feet,  for  a  distance  of  one 
thousand  two  hundred  feet  along  the  strike.  The  east  and  west 
running  system  was  worked  to  a  depth  of  seventy-eight  feet.  Assays 
show  from  ^5.00  to  $30.00  per  ton. 

A  second  group  of  mines  is  found  five  to  ten  miles  west  of  Char- 
lotte, embracing  the  Hays,  McGee,  Brawley,  Frazer,  Hipps,  Campbell, 
Todd,  Arlington,  Capps,  McGinn,  Means,  Bennett,  Stephen,  Wilson, 
Gibson,  Neal,  Troutman,  Prim,  Abernathy,  Alexander,  Dunn,  Sloan, 
McCorkle    Cathey  and  others. 

At  the  Stephen  Wilson  mine  there  are  ten  well  defined  veins,  but 
only  two  of  these  have  been  worked.  Vein  No.  2,  is  from  two  to 
three  feet  wide.  The  ores  carry  iron  and  copper  pyrites.  Assays 
show  ores  to  range  from  $1.00  to  $156  per  ton. 

The  Capps  mine  has  two  convergent  veins,  the  Capps  and  the 
Jane,  each  probably  three  thousand  feet  or  more  in  length.  The  out- 
crop of  the  vein  at  many  points,  still  shows  a  width  of  twenty  to 
tv>^enty-five  feet.  The  greatest  depth  worked  is  one  hundred 
and  thirty  feet,  but  drill  holes  penetrated  to  a  depth  of  one  hundred 
and  forty  feet  where  the  vein  is  shown  to  be  twenty  feet  diameter, 
assaying  from  $6.00  to  $7.00  per  ton.  There  are  four  well  known  ore 
bodies  or  shoots.  Assays  of  the  good  ore  from  the  third  ore  shoot 
showed  from  $11.00  to  as  high  as  $130.00  per  ton.  The  McGinn 
mine  adjoin  the  Capps.  It  is  situated  on  three  veins,  the  Jane,  the 
Copper  and  an  unexplored  vein.  The  Jane  vein  has  been  vv-orked  to 
a  depth  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet,  and  the  ore  body  v/as  something 
like  thirty-five  feet  wide,  the  ore  ranging  from  $3  00  to  $100.00  per 
ton.  The  copper  vein  has  been  worked  for  copper  ores  to  a  depth  of 
about  one  hundred  and  ten  feet.  The  ores  range  from  $6.00  to  $14.0'' 
per  ton. 

6 


82  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

At  the  Dunn  mine  there  are  two  shafts  sixty  and  ninety  feet  deep, 
which  have  explored  three  or  four  bodies  of  ore  composed  of  silicified 
slates,  and  having  an  aggregate  thickness  of  about  twelve  feet.  Assays 
show  from  $8.00  to  $30.00  per  ton. 

A  third  group  of  mines  is  found  five  to  seven  miles  north  of 
Charlotte,  including  the  Henderson,  Ferris,  Hunter  and  others.  The 
Henderson  mine  has  been  worked  to  a  longitudinal  one  hundred  feet. 
Three  bodies  of  ore  were  worked  from  it,  varying  from  one  and  one- 
half  to  four  feet  in  thickness.  At  the  Ferris  mine  there  are  several 
veins,  the  Garris  vein,  two  to  five  feet  thick,  being  the  principal  one 
now  worked,  is  entered  by  two  shafts,  ninety  and  one  hundred  and 
twenty  feet  deep  respectively.  The  ore  consists  of  quartz  seams  up 
to  twelve  inches  in  thickness  in  a  slaty  gangue. 

A  fourth  group  of  mines  located  in  Providence  township,  some 
five  to  ten  miles  southeast  of  Charlotte,  embraces  among  others  the 
Hunter,  Fredinick  and  Ray  mines.  At  the  Ray  mine  there  are  five 
veins  with  an  aggregate  length  of  four  miles.  The  Ray  vein,  six  to 
eight  inches  thick,  the  best  known,  has  been  opened  by  six  shafts,  the 
deepest  being  two  hundred  and  fifty  feet.  The  ore  consists  of  com- 
pact sulphurets. 

The  Pioneer  Mills  group  of  mines  of  Cabarrus  county  extends 
into  the  southeastern  part  of  Mecklenburg  county.  The  Johnson, 
Stinson,  Rhea,  Maxwell,  Simpson  and  Black  mines  belong  here.  In 
Clear  Creek  township,  ten  to  twelve  miles  southeast  of  Charlotte,  is 
another  group  of  mines,  comprising  the  Brafiford,  Ellington  and  Sur- 
face Hill. 

(4).  Kings  Mountain  belt  occupies  an  area  of  indefinite  and 
imperfectly  knovv^n  boundaries,  adjoining  the  Igneous  belt  on  the  west. 
The  principal  counties  embraced  here  are  Gaston,  lyincoln,  Catawba, 
Davie  and  Yadkin.  The  country  rocks  are  chrystalline  schists  and 
gneisses,  and  isolated  bodies  of  siliceous  limestone. 

The  Kings  Mountain  mine  in  Gaston  county,  is  one  and  a-half 
miles  south  of  Kings  Mountain  village.  The  ore  is  a  mixture  of 
siliceous  limestone  and  quartz,  and  exists  in  lenticular  chimneys,  five 
of  which  have  been  exploited  thus  far.  In  length  they  are  about  one 
hundred  feet  and  width  twenty  feet.  The  deepest  shaft  is  three 
hundred  and  twenty  feet.  The  present  average  value  of  the  ores  is 
said  to  be  from  I4.00  to  $6.oc  per  ton  The  Caledonia  mine  is  four 
miles  east  of  the  Kings  Mountain.  The  ore  bodies  consist  of  masses 
of  chloritic  and  sericitic  schists,  intermixed  with  pyrite  and  chalco- 
pyrite.  The  width  of  the  ore  bearing  ground  is  from  eight  to  ten  feet. 
The  ores  are  low  grade,  running  from  $3.00  to  $5.00  per  ton.     The 


Gold,  Silver  and  Copper.  83 


I,ong  Creek  mine  is  six  miles  northwest  of  Dallas.  There  are  three 
veins,  the  Asbury,  Dixon  and  McCarter  Hill.  The  Asbury,  where 
worked,  was  from  six  to  eight  feet  wide;  opened  to  a  depth  of  one 
hundred  and  forty  feet.  The  Dixon  has  been  worked  by  shallow 
pits,  the  thickness  of  the  vein  being  a  little  over  three  feet.  The 
McCarter  Hill  vein  has  been  entered  by  three  shafts,  and  sloped  to  a 
depth  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  feet  in  the  ore  shoot,  which  has  a 
width  of  four  to  six  feet.  The  assay  value  of  the  ore  mined  is  stated 
at  $8.00  per  ton. 

Other  localities  in  Gaston  county  are  the  Rumfeldt,  Duffie,  Derr, 
Rhyne,  Burrell,  Wells,  Oliver,  Farrar  and  other  mines. 

In  Lincoln  the  best  known  localities  are  the  Burton,  Hoke  and 
Graham  mines. 

The  Suford  mine  in  Catawba  county,  is  four  and  a-half  miles 
southeast  of  Catawba  village.  Some  twenty  acres  of  ground  here  are 
covered  with  auriferous  quartz,  and  the  soil  is  also  auriferous.  The 
schists  and  gneisses  are  penetrated  by  seams  of  auriferous  quartz, 
which  run  in  everj^  direction. 

Other  mines  are  the  McCorkle,  Kngland,  Rufty,  Abernathy,  &c. 

In  Davie  county  are  the  Butler,  Callahan  Mountain,  Isaac  Allen 
and  other  mines  of  minor  importance. 

In  Yadkin  county  the  only  noteworthy  locality  is  the  Dixon 
mine,  eight  miles  southeast  of  Yadkinville.  The  vein  is  quartz  and 
shows  a  thickness  of  four  feet  on  the  outcrop;  it  pinches  and  swells 
spasmodically.  The  ore  is  supposed  to  run  something  like  $7.00  per  ton. 

(5).  The  South  Mountain  belt  proper  comprises  an  area  of 
about  three  hundred  square  miles,  extending  from  Morganton  to  Ruth- 
erfordton,  and  covering  portions  of  Burke,  McDowell  and  Rutherford 
counties. 

The  auriferous  quartz  veins  of  this  district  are  true  fissure  veins, 
and  vary  in  thickness  from  a  mere  line  to  four  feet,  the  majority  are 
from  less  than  one  to  three  inches  thick.  These  veins  appear  to  be 
concentrated  in  aggregates  along  certain  parallel  belts  or  zones,  of 
which  there  are  five.  (i).  The  Morganton  belt  passing  through 
Morganton  and  along  I^ittle  Silver  creek  to  North  Muddy  creek. 
(2).  The  Huntsville  belt,  passing  over  the  southern  end  of  Huntsville 
Mountain.  (3).  The  Pilot  Mountain  belt,  passing  over  Hall's  Knob, 
White's  Knob,  Pilot  Mountain,  Brackettown  and  Vein  Mountain,  to 
and  beyond  the  Second  Broad  river.  (4).  The  Golden  Valley 
belt,  passing  across  the  upper  end  of  Golden  Vallej^  and  crossing 
Cane  and  Camp  creeks  to  the  Second  Broad  river.  (5).  The  Idler 
Mine  belt,  about  three  miles  north  of  Rutherfordton. 


84  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


The  maximum  breadth  in  a  north  and  south  direction  across  the 
ore  bearing  formation  as  a  whole  is  about  seventeen  miles.  The 
great  majority  of  these  veins  are,  of  course,  too  narrow  to  be  profita- 
bly worked  individually,  on  any  regular  mining  scale.  When  the 
ground  admits  the  whole  formation,  which  is  usually  decomposed  to 
considerable  depths,  may  be  undermined  and  washed  down  in  sluices, 
and  thence  to  the  mill  for  battery  treatment  and  amalgamation. 
Some  of  the  large  quartz  veins  have  been  opened  by  shafts  and  under- 
ground drifts,  as  at  the  Vein  Mountain  and  Idler  mines.  However,  no 
vein  mining  of  any  magnitude  has  been  prosecuted  in  the  district.  If, 
as  reported,  there  are  regular  bodies  of  ore  here,  ranging  from  one  and 
a-half  to  three  feet  in  width  and  running  from  $5.00  to  $15.00  per  ton, 
these  should  form  the  basis  of  profitable  mining  enterprises. 

The  placer  deposits  form  by  far  the  most  important  resources  of 
the  precious  metals  in  this  district.  They  are  of  three  general  classes: 
(i).  The  gravel  beds  of  the  streams  and  adjoining  bottomlands.  (2). 
The  gulch  and  hillside  deposits,  or  the  accumulations  due  to  secular 
disintegration  and  motion,  and  (3),  the  upper  decomposed  layer  of 
the  country  rock  itself,  the  rotton  rock  in  place.  In  the  first  two 
classes  the  deposits  are  from  a  few  inches  to  several  feet  in  thickness. 
In  the  third  class  the  thickness  in  the  decomposed  rock  layer,  carrying 
the  small  auriferous  quartz  veins,  is  very  variable,  from  a  few  feet  to 
as  much  as  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet. 

The  distribution  of  the  stream  deposits  is  very  general  along  the 
bottoms,  highlands  and  ridges  drained  by  the  streams  of  the  region, 
and  the  centers  of  operation  are  at  Brindletown,  Brackettown  and  Vein 
Mountain.  At  the  larger  mines,  hydraulicking  is  employed,  under  a 
pressure  of  fifty  to  two  hundred  feet,  with  twelve  inch  mains  and  one 
and  one-half  inch  nozzle.  The  hj^draulic  elevator  has  also  been  used 
successfully.  The  numerous  mountain  streams  afford  a  fairly  good 
and  constant  supply  of  water  for  mining  purposes.  There  are  several 
long  ditch  and  flume  levies  in  the  region;  one  of  these  is  over  ten 
miles  in  length. 

The  Handcock  mine,  in  Burke  county,  is  a  placer  digging  at 
the  foot  of  Hall's  Knob.  The  thickness  of  the  gravel  bed  is  one  and 
one-half  to  two  feet,  and  that  of  the  overlay  twenty-five  feet.  A 
rough  estimate  of  one  of  the  pits  showed  a  yield  of  fourteen  cents 
per  cubic  yard.  The  Carolina  Queen  mine  is  situated  on  the  north- 
eastern slope  of  White's  Knob.  A  series  of  narrow  quartz  veins  in  the 
tipper  decomposed  rock  layer,  has  been  sluiced  over  a  width  of  some 
three  hundred  feet,  and  to  a  maximum  depth  of  fifty  feet.  The  J.  C 
Mills  tract,  at  Brindletown,  covers  a  very  large  territory,  and  is  one  of 


Gold,  Silver  and  Copper.  85 

the  most  famous  localities  in  the  South  Mountain  region,  a  large 
amount  of  gold  having  been  obtained  here  since  the  first  discovery  in 
1828.  From  Pilot  Mountain  and  along  its  lower  slopes,  a  number  of 
gravel  channels  radiate  in  all  directions.  Some  of  these,  as  the  White 
Bank  and  the  Magazine  mines  have  been  worked  as  high  as  water  could 
be  obtained,  but  a  large  amount  of  virgin  ground  still  remains  that  has 
not  been  worked.  The  total  length  of  the  several  ditch  lines  on  this 
property  is  about  twenty  miles.  The  head  obtained  at  the  mines  is 
from  sixty  to  two  hundred  feet. 

The  Marion  Bullion  and  Improvement  Company,  in  McDowell 
county,  owns  an  extensive  tract  at  Brackettown.  The  principal  work 
of  importance  here  has  been  placer  mining.  In  a  general  way,  the 
gulch  and  hill  side  deposits  range  in  value  from  four  to  fifty  cents  per 
cubic  yard,  while  the  gravel  of  the  bottom  land  will  run  as  high  as 
^i.oo  per  cubic  yard.  A  number  of  narrow  quartz  veins  have  been 
explored  on  the  property. 

The  Vein  Mountain  property  comprises  a  large  tract  extending 
from  Vein  Mountain,  on  the  second  Broad  river,  in  a  northeasterly 
direction  to  Huntsville  Mountain,  a  distance  of  four  miles.  The 
gulch  deposits  here  have  been  hydraulicked  to  points  as  high  as 
water  could  be  obtained  by  the  ditch  lines.  The  value  of  the  gravel 
ranges  from  five  and  one-half  cents  to  ^1.25  per  cubic  yard.  A  series 
of  as  many  as  thirty-three  parallel  auriferous  veins,  mostly  quite 
small,  crosses  Vein  Mountain  in  a  belt  not  over  one-fourth  mile  wide. 
These  veins  are  mostly  only  a  few  inches  thick,  one  of  them  "  the 
Nichols,"  is  in  places  three  feet  thick,  and  has  been  opened  up  to  a 
depth  of  one  hundred  and  seventeen  feet.  Below  the  water  level  the 
quartz  is  impregnated  with  pyrite,  chalcopyrite,  galena  and  blende. 
The  average  mill  run  of  the  ore  is  said  to  be  $15.00  per  ton. 

The  Idler  mine,  in  Rutherford  county,  is  situated  five  miles  north  of 
Rutherfordton .  As  many  as  thirteen  parallel  veins  have  been  explored 
within  a  distance  of  half  a  mile  across  the  strike.  The  four  larger 
veins  are  known  as  the  Monarch,  Alta,  Carson  and  Glendale.  The 
last  work  was  done  on  the  Alta  vein  some  three  years  ago  at  a  depth 
of  one  hundred  and  five  feet.  The  thickness  of  this  vein  is  said  to 
average  about  fifteen  inches,  and  the  ore  is  said  to  yield  in  mill  tests 
for  $10.00  to  $30.00  per  ton  of  free  gold.  The  Elwood  and  Leeds 
mines  are  situated  in  the  neighborhood. 

The  Polk  county  placer  deposits,  some  25  miles  southwest  of 
Rutherfordton,  appear  to  be  an  extension  of  the  South  Mountain  belt. 
The  better  known  localities  are  the  Pattie  Abrams,  Wetherbee,  Red 
Springs,  Tom  Arms,  Splawn,  Ponder,  Riding,  L,.   A.  Mills,  Carpen- 


86  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

ter,  Hamilton,  Neal,  Maclntire,  Double  Branch  and  Prince.  These 
all  had  a  good  reputation  in  the  past,  while  the  deposits  contiguous  to 
water  lasted,  but  at  present  none  can  be  worked  on  a  large  scale  with- 
out a  larger  supply  of  Vv^ater  than  can  be  easily  obtained. 

The  Miller,  Scott  Hill,  Pax  Hill  and  Baker  mines  in  Caldwell 
county,  are  situated  on  the  waters  of  Johns  river,  and  might  be  con- 
sidered as  belonging  to  the  South  Mountain  belt.  They  are  quartz 
veins  and  have  been  developed  in  a  small  way,  though  now  idle,  with 
one  or  two  exceptions.  The  principal  veins  are  from  twelve  to  twenty- 
four  inches  wide,  and  carry  besides  gold,  sulphurets,  pyrite, 
galenite,  &c. 

(6).  The  Gap  River  Creek  mine  is  in  the  southern  part  of  Ashe 
county  on  New  river.  There  are  three  quartz  veins  of  which  only 
one,  fourteen  inches  to  three  feet  thick,  has  been  worked  to  any  ex- 
tent. The  ore  is  complex;  vitreous  copper  ore,  malachite,  chryso- 
colla,  chalcopyrite  and  some  pyrite,  besides  free  gold.     Assays  show: 

Gold  per  ton $8.62  $34-79  $57-36 

Silver  "      " 2.26  25.50  14-53 

|;io.88          $60.29  $71-89 

Copper  per  cent 23.83 

The  Boylston  mine  in  Henderson  county  is  situated  twelve  miles 
west  of  Hendersonville,  on  Forge  Mountain.  There  are  four  princi- 
pal auriferous  quartz  veins,  which  are  parallel  to  each  other,  varying 
in  thickness  from  one  to  four  and  a-half  feet.  The  principal  work  has 
been  done  on  vein  No.  2,  which  has  been  exploited  by  shallow  shafts, 
drifts  and  open  cuts.  The  average  value  of  the  ore  is  estimated  at 
about  $4.00  per  ton. 

The  gold  obtained  in  Cherokee  county  is  found:  (i)  in  the 
gravel  underlying  the  broad  bottoms  of  Valley  river  and  other 
streams;  (2),  in  the  schists  and  the  included  quartz  stringers  or  veins 
of  the  more  elevated  country  bordering  these  valle3^s;  (3),  in  the  iron 
ore  beds  which  skirt  Valley  river  along  its  whole  length,  and  occur 
with  several  reduplications  or  foldings  at  intervals  for  several  miles 
to  the  east;  (4),  in  the  limestone,  which  is  usually  closely  associated 
with  the  iron  ore  beds,  and  contains  gold  in  connection  with  galenite 
and  possibly  also  in  quartz  veins,  which  traverse  it. 

The  placer  mines,  now  worked,  are  situated  in  the  drift  which 
covers  the  spurs  and  terminal  ridges,  especially  where  they  project 
into  the  bottom  lands. 

The  schists  have  not  been  largely  prospected.  The  iron  ore  beds 
have  not  hitherto  been  regarded  as  gold  bearing,  but  recent  examina- 


Gold,  Sil\^r  axd  Copper.  87 

tions  point  to  the  presumption  that  they  frequently  are.     Assays    of 

some  of  these  brown  hematite  ores  have  shown  from  $1.80  to  ^10.00 

per  ton.* 

IRON. 

The  mineralogical  character  of  the  iron  ores  found  in  the  State 
includes  magnetite,  red  hematite,  brown  hematite  (limonite),  siderite 
(spathic  ore),  and  black  band  ores.  The  first  three  of  these,  however, 
constitute  the  important  economic  ores  in  North  Carolina. 

In  geographical  distribution  these  ore  deposits  cover  considerably 
over  half  the  area  of  the  State,  being  confined  principally  to  the 
Piedmont  Plateau  and  Mountain  regions. 

Geologically,  the  magnetites  and  red  hematites  are  confined 
almost  exclusively  to  the  crystalline  rocks.  The  limonites  also  occur 
here,  as  well  as  in  theOcoee  rocks  of  Cherokee  and  Madison  counties. 
Isolated  deposits  of  porous  brown  hematite  are  found  in  the  more 
recent  formations  of  the  Coastal  Plain  region.  These  are  the  so- 
called  "bog  ores."  Siderite  or  spathic  iron  ore  occurs  as  a  gangue 
mineral  in  some  of  the  gold  quartz  veins  in  the  central  part  of  the 
State,  but  owing  to  its  limited  quantit}-,  it  is  of  little  economical 
importance  for  the  manufacture  of  iron.  Tlie  blackband  ores  are 
confined  to  the  coal  measures  of  the  Triassic  rocks  in  Chatham  and 
Moore  counties. 

The  magnetite,  specular  and  brown  hematite  ores  in  the  eastern 
part  of  the  crystalline  area,  in  the  so-called  Gaston  ore  beds,  are 
situated  on  the  Roanoke  river,  one  mile  east  of  Gaston,  in  Halifax 
county.  The  ore  is  red  hematite  containing  some  magnetite.  There 
are  two  principal  deposits,  of  which  the  lower  one  only  has  been 
opened,  where  the  thickness  exposed  was  from  eighteen  to  twent}'- 
four  inches.  It  is  stated  that  at  low  water  a  width  of  eight  feet  of 
ore  is  visible  in  the  bed  of  P^.oanoke  river. 

Analyses  of  the  better  class  of  ore  show:- 

Silica 9.10  to  10.12  f^         Sulphur 0.03    to  o.oS% 

Metallic  Iron. ..  ,49.00  to  58.00%         Phosphorus..  .0.005  to  0.050% 

In  Granville  countj",  fourteen  miles  northwest  of  Oxford,  is  a 
series  of  lenticular  bodies  of  specular  hematite,  at  times  partially 
magnetic.  Exploratory  openings  have  exposed  beds  of  ore  measuring 
as  much  as  twenty-one  feet  across,  and  the  outcrop  has  been  traced 
for   several   miles.     Analyses  of  these  ores  show  from  50  to  54  per 

*Note, — For  a  more  detailed  description  of  the  gold  deposits  and  mines,  see 
Bulleiins  3  and  10,  published  by  the  North  Carolina  Geological  Survey. 


88  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

cent,  of  iron,  from  a  trace  to  0.9  per  cent,  sulphur,  and  from  0.7  to  0.9 
per  cent,  of  phosphorus. 

Small  deposits  of  specular  hematite  have  been  found  in  Person 
and  Durham  counties,  but  the  ores  are  rather  low  grade,  being  quite 
siliceous  and  in  places  high  in  phosphorus. 

The  Chapel  Hill  mine,  in  Orange  county,  is  opened  on  a  deposit 
of  red  hematite,  containing  a  small  proportion  of  magnetite.  The 
deepest  shaft  is  seventy-two  feet.  There  are  two  veins  crossing  each 
other  at  an  angle  of  about  60,°  and  standing  nearly  vertical.  These 
veins  are  carried  in  a  fine  grained  ferruginous  quartzite,  into  which  the 
ore  appears  to  pass  by  insensible  gradations.  The  widest  portion  of 
good  ore  observed  is  six  to  eight  feet.     Analyses  of  good  ore  show: 

Silica 43-04%         Sulphur 0.153% 

Metallic  Iron 65.77%         Pliosphorus 0.170% 

The  Ore  Hill  mines,  in  Chatham  county,  about  forty  miles  south- 
east of  Greensboro,  on  the  Cape  Fear  and  Yadkin  Valley  railroad,  are 
deserving  of  special  attention  as  being  the  repositories  of  considerable 
bodies  of  brown  hematite.  The  mines  were  first  opened  over  one 
hundred  years  ago,  during  the  Revolutionary  war,  and  iron  was  made 
here  by  the  Sapona  Iron  Co.,  during  the  late  civil  war.  The  property 
is  at  present  owned  by  the  North  Carolina  Steel  and  Iron  Co.,  of 
Greensboro. 

The  ore  is  brown  hematite,  and  occurs  in  a  number  of  veins, 
having  more  or  less  regular  walls,  dipping  at  steep  angles  and  with 
variable  strikes.  The  ore  bodies  have  been  opened  by  extensive  pits 
and  a  number  of  shafts  and  tunnels.  Analyses  show  the  ore  to  vary 
from  39  to  60  per  cent,  metallic  iron,  and  0.038  to  0.833  P^^  cent, 
phosphorus.  The  silica  is  uniformly  low  from  2  to  7  per  cent,  and 
the  sulphur  from  0.05  to  0.34  per  cent.  It  is  believed  that  ores  run- 
ning from  45  to  50  per  cent,  metallic  iron,  and 0.20  to  0.40 phosphorus 
can  be  mined  here  on  a  large  scale  for  blast  furnace  use. 

The  Titaniferous  magnetites  in  the  crystalline  rocks  of  Rocking- 
ham, Guilford  and  Davidson  counties  extend  from  the  head  waters 
of  Abbott's  creek  in  Davidson  county,  across  Forsyth  and  Guilford 
counties,  to  the  Haw  river  in  Rockingham  county,  a  distance  of 
about  thirty  miles.  It  consists  of  two  parallel  belts,  the  "Tuscarora' ' 
and  the  "Shaw,"  lying  some  three  miles  apart.  Beyond  the  Haw 
river  thej^  approach  each  other  and  are  believed  to  unite  in  Rocking- 
ham county.  The  ore  is  granular,  titaniferous  magnetite.  The 
gangiie  is  gneiss.  Some  of  the  ores  coutaiu  alumina  in  the  form  of 
corundum,  becoming  in  places  true  emery  ores. 


12.86 

4.71 

12.75 

1-39 

53-27 

4S.41 

4195 

30-97 

8.68 

5-17 

52.24 

trace 

0.089 

.... 

trace 

0.023 

.... 

13-58 

13-74 

15-35 

0.78 

Iron".  89 

The  ore  deposits  consist  of  lens-shaped  masses,  contracting  and 
enlarging  in  thickness  from  a  few  inches  to  six  and  eight  feet.  The 
principal  bodies  which  have  been  worked  are  estimated  to  average 
four  to  five  feet  in  thickness.  These  ores  were  worked  as  early  as  the 
Revolutionary  War  in  Catalan  forges.  I^ater  the  Tuscarora  and  Dan- 
nemora  mines  were  operated  by  the  North  Carolina  Centre  Iron  Com- 
pany.    A  number  of  analyses  of  these  ores  show: 

Silica  1. 31 

Metalic  Iron.  .55.06 

Alumina 4.26 

Sulphur trace 

Phosphorus. .  .trace 
Titanic  Acid. .  13.60 

The  magnetite  and  brown  hematite  ores  in  the  central  part  of  the 
crystalline  area  extend  across  the  State  in  a  southwesterly  direction 
from  Virginia  to  South  Carolina;  the  principal  deposits  lie  in  Stokes, 
Surry,  Yadkiu,  Davie,  Catawba,  Lincoln  and  Gaston  counties. 

In  the  Danbury  region,  Stokes  county,  the  ores  are  chiefly  mag- 
netite, and  have  been  mined  and  smelted  as  long  as  one  hundred 
years  ago.  They  occur  in  a  series  of  parallel  belts,  occupying  a 
width  of  about  four  and  a  half  miles,  the  outcrops  of  which  have 
been  traced  over  an  aggregate  distance  of  twenty  miles  along  the 
strike.  The  ccuntrj^  rocks  are  talcose,  micaceous  and  quartzitic 
schists  and  gneisses.  The  ores  may  be  divided  into  three  classes: 
(i),  hard  ore;  (2),  soapstone  ore;  (3),  sand  ore.  The  "  hard  ore  "  is  a 
compact  massive  magnetite.  The  "soapstone  ore"  is  composed  of 
magnetite  grains  disseminated  in  a  soft  talcose  matrix.  This  is  the 
so-called  "  Catawbarite "  of  Lieber.  The  "sand  ore"  consists  of 
granular  magnetite  in  a  friable  sandy  matrix. 

Among  the  most  important  localities  in  this  region  are:  the 
William  Nelson  mine,  four  and  one-half  miles  northwest  of  Danbury. 
The  ore  was  originally  mined  for  the  Clements  forge  built  near  here 
in  1790.  The  ore  is  of  the  hard  variety,  and  the  thickness  of  the 
body  as  now  visible  is  three  to  eight  feet.  Analj'ses  of  select  ores 
show: 

Silica 17.83%         Sulphur 0.023% 

Metallic  Iron 53.24%         Phosphorus 0.052% 

The  Lee  Nelson  mine  is  three  and  one-half  miles  northwest  of 
Danbury.  The  ore  is  of  the  soapstone  class.  The  thickness  of  the 
deposit  varies  from  three  to  nine  feet.     Analj^ses  of  good  ore  show: 

Silica 21.47%         Sulphur 0.006% 

Metallic  Iron 47.23%         Phosphorus o.oSi% 


12.29 

11.69 

15.66 

31-75 

13-76 

58.26 

63-71 

57-13 

49-03 

61.74 

O.I79 

0.006 



O.OOI 

0.003 



90  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

The  Rogers  mine,  two  and  one-half  miles  north  of  Danbury,  was 
at  one  time  the  largest  and  best  developed  mine  in  the  section.  The 
main  shaft  is  sixty  feet  in  depth,  and  the  ore  in  the  bottom  is  stated 
to  be  eight  feet  in  thickness.  It  is  of  the  hard  variety.  The  gangue 
is  chloritic  and  micaceous.     Analj'-ses  show: 

Silica 20.00 

Metallic  Iron. 52. 86 

Sulphur 0.0S4 

Phosphorus..   0.016 

The  Pepper  mine  is  one  and  a  half  miles  east  of  the  Rogers.  The 
ore  is  a  hard,  granular  magnetite.  An  analysis  shows  44  per  cent, 
metallic  iron  and  0.033  per  cent,  phosphorus.  The  thickness  of  the 
ore  body  is  stated  to  be  six  to  eight  feet. 

The  Isaac  Fagg  mine  is  four  miles  northwest  of  Danbury.  The 
ore  is  of  the  sandy  class,  which  occurs  in  seams  of  variable  and 
irregular  thickness,  reaching  four  feet.  Analyses  show  from  42  to  48 
per  cent,  of  iron,  and  from  0.079  to  o.  11 7  per  cent,  of  phosphorus. 

Other  mines  in  the  vicinity  are  the  Becky  Nelson,  Cherrytree, 
Carlin,  Simmons,  &c.  All  prospects  point  to  the  existence  of  large 
and  important  deposits  of  magnetite  ore.  The  nearest  railroad  point 
to  Danbury  is  Walnut  Cove,  eleven  and  a  half  miles  distant,  at  the 
junction  of  the  Norfolk  and  Western  and  the  Cape  Fear  and  Yadkin 
Valley  railroads. 

The  magnetite  ores  of  Surry  and  Yadkin  counties  consist  of 
magnetite  grains  disseminated  through  mica  schist  and  gneiss.  The 
purer  ores  are  alm^ost  free  from  the  gneiss,  and  pass  from  that  degree 
of  concentration  by  intermediate  gradation  steps  into  gneiss  containing 
very  little  magnetite.  The  economic  value  of  such  leaner  ores  will 
depend  largely  on  the  cost  of  magnetic  separation.  The  rock  is 
usually  decomposed  to  considerable  depths  and  is  therefore  well 
adapted  to  easy  and  cheap  crushing.  Among  the  more  important 
localities  are: 

The  Ferris  mine,  two  miles  north  of  Pilot  Mountain  P.  O.,  two 
beds  of  ore,  each  about  two  feet  thick,  separated  by  one  foot  of  mica 
schist,  are  reported  here;  containing  from  four  to  sixty-one  per  cent, 
of  iron  and  0.05  to  0.O9  per  cent,  of  phosphorus. 

H3^att's  mine  is  seven  miles  west  of  Pilot  Mountain  P.  O.  Ore 
was  formerly  mined  here  for  a  distance  of  one  thousand  feet  along  the 
strike,  to  a  m.aximum  depth  of  twenty  feet.  The  thickness  of  the  bed 
is  stated  to  be  six  to  eight  feet.  An  analysis  of  the  ore  after  it  had  been 
washed  for  the  forge,  showed  sixty-three  per  cent,  of  iron  and  0.03 
per  cent,  of  phosphorus. 


Iron.  91 

The  Williams  mine  is  four  miles  northwest  of  Rockford.  At 
the  Stanley  mine,  ten  miles  from  Elkin,  the  ore  is  limonite  and  red 
hematite,  having  a  width  of  from  four  to  fourteen  feet  and  it  contains 
fifty  four  per  cent,  of  iron  and  only  a  trace  of  phosphorus. 

The  Hobsen  ore  beds  in  the  northern  part  of  Yadkin  county, 
have  yielded  considerable  amounts  of  magnetite  ore  for  the  old  forges. 
Analysis  show  from  forty  to  sixty-seven  per  cent,  of  iron,  and  from 
a  trace  to  0.04  per  cent,  of  phosphorus. 

To  the  north  and  south  of  Mocksville,  Davie  county,  are  several 
localities  where  magnetic  ores  are  found,  but  nothing  definite  is 
known  of  the  extent  of  the  deposits,  excepting  some  of  them  carry 
from  eight  to  ten  per  cent,  of  titanic  acid. 

One  of  the  most  important  belts  of  ore  in  this  central  part  of  the 
State  extends  from  Iron  station,  in  I^incoln  countj^,  in  a  northeasterly 
direction  to  the  Catawba  river,  in  Catawba  county,  a  distance  of 
some  twenty  miles.  The  ores  are  magnetite,  and  were  at  one  time 
extensively  mined  and  worked  in  the  primitive  Catawba  forges  and 
charcoal  blast  furnaces.  The  country  rocks  are  micaceous  and 
quartzitic  schists,    in  which  the  ores  occur  in  lenticular   deposits. 

The  principal  ores  of  the  old  ore  banks  were:  The  Big  Ore 
bank,  the  Brevard,  Stonewall  and  Robinson  banks  in  Lincoln  county; 
and  the  Morrison,  Tillman,  Deep  Hollow,  Mountain  Creek,  Aber- 
nathy,  Little  John  and  Powell  banks  in  Catawba  county. 

The  Big  Ore  bank  is  four  miles  north  of  Iron  Station.  The 
"Eugene  "  shaft,  one  hundred  feet  deep,  here  exposed  three  parallel 
ore  bodies,  by  cross-cutting;  respectively  eighteen,  twelve  and  eight 
feet  in  width;  the  intervening  schists  being  from  three  to  four  feet 
thick.  Analysis  of  these  ores  show  from  fifty-eight  to  sixty-eight 
per  cent,  of  iron,  from  0.06  to  0.09  per  cent,  of  sulphur,  and  o.oi  to 
0.08  of  phosphorus.  This  bank  supplied  ore  for  the  Rehaboth,  Madi- 
son and  Vesuvius  furnaces  situated  close  by. 

The  Powell  bank  is  four  and  one-half  miles  southeast  of  Catawba 
station  and  the  ores  were  smelted  in  the  Catawba  Valley  forge.  The 
main  bed,  opened  to  a  depth  of  thirty  feet,  was  three  to  four  feet  thick. 
An  analysis  shows  metallic  iron  64.21  per  cent,  and  phosphorus 
0.009  P^i"  cent. 

A  similar  zone  of  ores,  and  of  equal  importance  to  the  above, 
occurs  in  Gaston  county.  It  consists  of  four  parallel  belts:  (i).  That 
on  which  the  Ormond  mine  is  situated.  (2).  Little  Mountain.  (3). 
Yellow  Ridge.     (4).  Crowders  and  King's  Mountain. 

The  Ormond  mine,  situated  one  mile  west  of  Bessemer  City, 
has  probably  been  more  extensively  worked  than  any  other  iron  mine 


North  Carolina  and  its  RESouRc:es. 


(the  Cranberry  excepted)  in  the  State.  The  character  of  the  ore  is 
Taried,  practically  speaking  there  are  four  classes:  (i).  Hard  block 
ore,  with  less  than  five  per  cent,  water,  and  hence  to  be  classified  as 
turgite.  (2).  Bluish  black  powder  ore.  (3).  Porous  brown  hematite 
or  limonite,  and  (4).  hard  massive  ore,  slightly  magnetic.  All  of 
these  ores  are  slightly  manganiferous  at  times. 

The  ores  occur  in  lenticular  bodies  in  the  schistose  and  gneissic 
country  rock.  In  length,  the  ore  formation  is  continuous  over  twenty- 
four  hundred  feet;  transversely  to  the  strike,  the  ore  bodies  occupy  a 
width  varying  from  fifty  to  one  hundred  feet.  As  to  the  size  of  the 
separate  lenses,  they  vary  in  thickness  from  less  than  three  to  more 
than  twenty-eight  feet.     Some  analyses  show: 

Silica 9.72  2.4S  4.27  1.55 

Metallic  Iron..  .47.10  52.39  64.56  68.03  65.35 

Sulphur 0.048  ....  .... 

Phosphorus 0-057       0.079  0.004  0.036        0.007 

The  Little  Mountain  mine  is  situated  three-fourths  of  a  mile 
fe"om  the  Ormond.  The  ore  is  brown  hematite,  occurring  in  a  distinct 
vein  structure  between  parallel  walls  of  siliceous  slate.  The  gangue 
is  quartz.  On  the  outcrop  the  ore  is  very  lean,  the  quartz  predom- 
inating; but  at  the  bottom  of  the  sixty-foot  shaft  the  quartz  has 
nearly  disappeared.  In  thickness  the  vein  varies  from  three  to  ten 
feet.     Analyses  show. 

Silica 6.67  7.90  11.96 

Metallic  Iron.... 54.32  53.75  52.70 

Sulphur o.oii  .... 

Phosphorus 0.017  0.045  0.022 

In  the  Yellow  Ridge  belt  are  the  Costner,  Ellison,  Ferguson, 
Frelenwider,  and  Yellow  Ridge  mines.  These  ores  are  magnetites 
somewhat  similar  in  character  to  those  of  lyincoln  and  Catawba  coun- 
ties. At  times  they  are  rather  high  in  sulphur  contents.  The  mines 
were  worked  in  former  years  to  supply  the  local  forges,  and  the 
maximum  depth  reached  was  probably  one  hundred  and  twenty  feet. 
In  thickness  the  ore  bodies  are  stated  to  be  usually  five  to  seven  feet> 
Analj'ses  of  the  ores  show:  from  twenty-seven  to  sixty-one  per  cent, 
of  iron,  from  0.007  to  0.07  per  cent,  of  phosphorus,  and  from  a  trace 
to  1.5  per  cent,  of  sulphur. 

The  ores  of  Crowder's  Mountain  are  limonites  and  magnetites^ 
which  have  been  but  superficially  explored;  so  that  very  little  satis- 
factory information  can  be  given  concerning  the  value  of  the  deposits. 

In  the  western  part  of  Catawba  and  Lincoln,  and  in  eastern 
Cleveland  are  several  occurrences  of  magnetite  ore,  usually  slightly 


Iron.  9g 

titaniferous.     Such  are  the  Barringer  and  Forney  mines  in  Catawba 
county. 

Brown  hematite  ores  occur  in  the  cyanitic  hydro-mica  schists  of 
eastern  Caldwell  and  Burke,  and  western  Catawba  and  lyincoln 
counties,  but  the  deposits  appear  to  be  rather  unimportant  from  an 
economical  standpoint. 

The  magnetite  and  brown  and  red  hematite  ores  of  the  Blue 
Ridge  mountains  and  their  eastern  foot  hills  may  be  considered  next. 

Along  the  crests  and  slopes  of  the  Blue  Ridge  in  Watauga 
cotmty,  there  is  a  zone  of  schistose  red  hematite  of  considerable 
purity.  The  ore  is  mineralogically  martite  schist,  and  the 
enclosing  rocks  are  grayish,  greenish  and  pinkish  siliceous  schists, 
of  probable  eruptive  origin.  The  principal  locality  is  at  Bull  Ruffin, 
seven  miles  southeast  of  Boon.  The  developments  are  insufficient  to 
establish  the  true  size  and  extent  of  the  ore  bodies,  although  in 
places  the  beds  appear  to  reach  five  feet  in  thickness.  Similar  occur- 
rences are  found  near  Blowing  Rock,  and  in  a  northeast  direction  to 
near  the  Virginia  State  line.  Various  analyses  of  this  "martite"  ore 
show  from  forty-four  to  sixty-eight  per  cent,  of  iron,  and  very  low  in 
both  sulphur  and  phosphorus. 

In  the  central  and  northern  parts  of  Caldwell  county  are  several 
occurrences  of  titaniferous  magnetite,  the  most  noteworthy  one  being 
on  the  Curtis  farm,  sixteen  miles  north  of  I,enoir,  in  Richlands  cove, 
where  the  ore  body  attains  an  apparent  thickness  as  great  as  forty-five 
feet,  and  the  ore  contains  from  tweuty-eight  to  thirty-seven  per  cent, 
of  iron,  and  from  fifteen  to  thirty-six  per  cent,  of  titanic  acid. 

The  magnetite  specular  and  brown  hematite  ores  in  the  crystalline 
area  v^'est  of  the  Blue  Ridge  mountains,  comprise  an  area  of  over 
5,000  square  miles  v/hich  is  the  repository  of  some  of  the  most 
important  magnetic  ore  deposits  in  the  State. 

The  so-called  Little  River  belt  crosses  the  State  line  from 
Grayson  county,  Virginia,  into  the  northeastern  part  of  Alleghany 
county,  North  Carolina,  and  continues  southwest  across  that  county. 
The  ore  consists  of  magnetite  in  a  talcose  gangue.  It  is  often  slightly 
titaniferous  (2  per  cent,  to  5  per  cent). 

There  are  in  Ashe  county  three  main  belts  of  magnetite  ore;  (i). 
the  Ballou  or  River  belt;  (2).  The  Red  Hill  or  Poison  Branch  belt. 
(3).  The  Titaniferous  belt. 

The  Ballou  or  River  belt  is  the  most  easterl_,  and  crops  out  along 
the  North  Fork  of  New  river.  There  are  two  parallel  outcrops  about 
half  a  mile  apart.  A  series  of  old  forge  diggings  extends  from  Piney 
creek   to    New   river.     The   thickness   of  the  ore  beds   varies  from 


94  North  Carolina  and  its  Resourceis. 

thirty  feet  down.  The  more  prominent  localities  are  Weaver's, 
Halsey's,  I^unceford's  and  Brown's  ore  beds.  Many  of  these  ores  are 
soft,  being  in  a  micaceous  gangue,  and  are  hence  susceptible  of  great 
improvement  by  washing,  or  better  still,  by  magnetic  concentration. 
Thus,  some  of  this  soft  ore  running  43.05  per  cent,  metallic  iron,  has 
been  brought  up  to  67.35  per  cent,  by  washing. 

The  Ballon  ore  bed  is  probably  one  of  the  most  important  in  the 
county.  It  is  situated  on  the  North  Fork  near  the  mouth  of  Helton 
creek.  The  ore  is  a  hard,  fine  granular  magnetite,  disseminated  in  a 
gangue  of  hornblende,  epidote  and  quartz.  So  far  as  exposed 
the  thickness  of  the  bed  is  twelve  feet,  dipping  37°  southeast. 
Analyses  of  this  ore  show: 

Silica 17.88  to  20.79         Sulphur 0.02    to  0.002 

Metallic  Iron. 50. 68  to  45.50         Phosphorus. . .   0.009  to  0.024 

The  Red  Hill  or  Poison  Branch  belt  crosses  from  the  north- 
western corner  of  Alleghany  into  the  northeastern  corner  of  Ashe 
county,  and  extends  thence  in  a  southwesterly  direction  a  distance  of 
some  ten  miles.  Among  the  more  important  localities  are:  The  I^ee 
and  John  L,.  Pugh  farms,  on  Ben's  branch,  where  ore  bodies  from  two 
to  forty  feet  in  thickness  have  been  exposed.  The  ore  is  friable 
granular  magnetite  associated  with  hornblende  schists.  At  times  it 
is  manganiferous.  Analyses  show  from  43  to  45  per  cent,  of  iron, 
from  a  trace  to  4.6  per  cent,  of  manganese,  and  is  low  in  both  sulphur 
and  phosphorus. 

The  Black  property  is  situated  on  the  southwest  slope  of  Helton 
Knob.  The  ore  is  very  friable,  and  was  on  this  account  much  prized 
by  the  forge  people. 

The  Belvins  Ore  beds  are  situated  on  the  western  foot  hills  of 
Helton  Knob.  The  ore  is  a  hard  magnetite  in  a  gangue  of  hornblende 
and  epidote.  The  thickness  of  the  principal  exposed  bed  is  thirty- 
five  feet,  with  three  streaks  of  ore,  aggregating  fourteen  feet  in  thick- 
ness, and  containing  thirty-two  to  thirty-six  per  cent,  of  iron  and 
very  small  quantities  of  sulphur  and  phosphorus. 

The  Red  Hill  deposits  are  directly  to  the  southwest  from  the 
above.  A  number  of  shallow  openings  here  have  uncovered  a  rather 
complex  and  widely  distributed  ore  formation,  consisting  in  places  of 
mixed  masses  of  soft  ore,  hard  ore  and  gangue,  of  great  width,  and  in 
others  of  narrow  bodies — five  feet,  &c. — of  hard  ore;  pyrite  is  present 
in  considerable  quantities  at  times.  Analyses  show  the  ore  to  contain 
firom  20  to  51  per  cent,  of  iron,  from  0.07  to  1.6  of  sulphur,  and  from 
0.004  to  I.I  per  cent,  of  phosphorus. 


IROX.  95 

The  McClure's  Knob  deposits  are  on  the  opposite  side  of  Helton 
creek  from  Reo  Hill.  A  number  of  openings  expose  a  series  of 
parallel  ore  beds,  distributed  over  a  width  of  some  two  thousand  feet 
northwest  and  southeast,  across  the  strike.  None  of  these,  however, 
so  far  as  developed  show  a  thickness  over  three  feet. 

The  Poison  Branch  ore  bed  is  situated  about  one  mile  southwest 
from  McClure's  Knob.  The  thickness  of  the  ore  body  is  stated  to  be 
six  feet.  It  is  composed  of  hard  magnetite  ore  in  hornblende  gangue, 
the  ore  containing  from  forty-five  to  sixty-one  per  cent,  of  iron,  and 
being  low  in  both  sulphur  and  phosphorus. 

The  Piney  Creek  ore  bed  is  situated  on  Piney  creek,  one  and  a 
half  miles  above  its  mouth.  The  ore  is  course  granular  magnetite  in 
a  matrix  of  brownish  black  manganese  oxide,  It  is  exceptionally 
pure  and  practically  free  from  gangue  matter.  The  thickness  of  the 
upper  part  of  the  bed  is  six  and  one-half  feet,  beneath  which  is  about 
one  foot  of  soft  highly  manganiferous  ore.  The  bed  is  probably  even 
thicker  than  this,  its  full  extent  not  being  uncovered.  Analyses  show 
from  fifty  to  sixtj^-five  per  cent,  of  iron,  from  0.6  to  9.6  per  cent,  of 
manganese,  and  being  low  in  both  sulphur  and  phosphorus.  A  very 
similar  ore  occurs  at  the  Francis  mine,  a  half  mile  southwest  from 
the  above.  The  greatest  thickness  of  the  bed  is  ten  feet.  The  ores 
carry  a  considerable  amount  of  hygroscopic  water,  as  high  as  forty- 
two  per  cent. 

The  Graybeal  ore  beds,  still  further  to  the  southwest,  carry  some 
similar  ores  to  the  Piney  Creek,  and  Francis  beds,  the  main  bed, 
however,  consists  of  hard,  solid  magnetite,  some  twenty  feet  in  thick- 
ness, analyses  of  which  show;  fifty-five  to  sixty-three  per  cent,  of  iron 
and  0.005  to  0.009  ps^  cent,  of  phosphorus. 

The  Horse  Creek  bed  is  one  mile  above  the  mouth  of  Horse 
creek,  the  ore  is  manganiferous  magnetite,  and  the  deposit  is  at  least 
six  feet  in  thickness.  Analyses  show  from  fifty-four  to  sixty-two  per 
cent,  of  iron,  three  to  seven  per  cent,  of  manganese  and  0.006  to  0.02 
per  cent,  of  phosphorus. 

The  Wilcox  ore  bed  is  one-quarter  mile  northwest  of  Dredsen 
P.  O.  The  ore  is  magnetite  and  epidote  hornblende  gangue.  The 
width  of  the  outcrop  is  tv/elve  feet.  Analysis  shows  the  ore  to 
contain  fifty-three  per  cent,  of  iron,  and  0.02  per  cent,  of  phosphorus. 

The  Titaniferous  ore  belt  is  the  most  northwestern  belt  of  import- 
ance in  Ashe  county.  It  starts  near  the  Virginia  line  and  extends 
southwesterly  to  Helton  creek,  a  distance  of  tw^o  and  one-half  miles. 
The  ores  are  titaniferous  magnetites.  The  analyses  show  from  forty- 
five  to  fifty-eight  per  cent,  of  iron,  from  five   to   nine  per   cent,  of 


g6  North  Caroi^ina  and  its  Resources. 

titanic  acid,  and  very  little  phosphorus  and  sulphur.  The  important 
points  are:  The  William  Young  farm,  one-fourth  mile  south  of  the 
Virginia  line,  where  an  outcrop  of  ore  is  found  covering  a  width  of  at 
least  twenty-five  feet.  On  the  adjoining  McCarter  farm,  a  bed  from 
nine  to  twelve  feet  in  width  has  been  opened;  and  a  half  mile  nearly 
west,  another  bed  three  feet  in  thickness.  The  Banguess  ore  bed, 
one-half  mile  south  of  McCarter's,  shows  five  feet  of  ore  which  has 
a  red  color  and  streak.     The  gangue  is  epidote,  feldspar  and  quartz. 

The  Pennington  property  is  about  one  mile  slightly  south  of 
west  from  the  Banguess.  The  ore  bed  is  eight  feet  wide.  On  the 
Kirby  place,  near  Sturgill  P.  O.,  a  body  of  magnetite  ore  about 
fifteen  feet  in  width  has  been  uncovered,  which  is  low  in  titanic  acid, 
containing  only  a  fractional  per  cent. 

In  the  extreme  eastern  portion  of  Ashe  county  the  gossan  ores 
(brown  hematite)  of  the  Ore  Knob  copper  lode,  bear  mention.  The 
thickness  of  this  lode  is  about  ten  feet,  and  the  gossan  extends  to  an 
average  depth  of  forty-five  feet. 

The  principal  magnetite  and  specular  ore  deposits  of  Mitchell 
county  are  situated  in  the  northern  and  northwestern  parts  on  the 
slopes  of  Roan,  Iron,  Unaka  and  Pumpkin  Patch  mountains.  Four 
belts  maybe  recognized: 

(i).     The  Bald  Mountain  Specular  belt. 

(2).     The  Cranberry  Magnetite  belt. 

(3).     The  Roan  Mountain  Titaniferous  belt. 

(4).     The  Pumpkin  Patch  Titaniferous  belt. 

The  Bald  Mountain  Specular  belt  consists  of  a  heavy  and  exten- 
sive outcrop  of  specular  red  hematite  on  the  head  waters  of  Spring, 
Beans,  Pigeon  Roost  and  Hollow  Poplar  creeks,  very  near  the  Tenn- 
essee line.  The  ore  is  fine  grained  and  compact;  near  the  outcrop  it 
is  silicious,  but  becomes  purer  and  almost  free  from  gangue  matter  in 
depth.  Its  width  is  stated  to  be  ten  feet.  The  outcrop  has  been 
traced  over  a  distance  of  seven  miles.  An  analysis  shows  52  per 
cent,  of  iron,  and  0.09  per  cent,  of  phosphorus. 

The  Cranberry  Magnetite  belt  contains  by  far  the  most  important 
deposits  of  ore  in  this  entire  region,  and  has  been  most  extensively 
developed.  The  eastern  extremity  is  at  Cranberry  in  the 
northern  part  of  Mitchell  county;  thence  it  extends  north  34° 
west  for  two  and  a-half  miles  to  the  Tennessee  line;  crossing 
the  same  it  passes  through  the  southern  portion  of  Carter 
county,  Tenn.,  deflecting  gradually  v/estward  and  then  south- 
westward,  to  the  head  waters  of  Tiger  creek,  recrossing  into  North 
Carolina,  and  continuing  in  a  southwesterly  direction  to    the   Toe 


Iron.  97 

river,  a  total  distance  of  some  twenty-two  miles.  The  most  impor- 
tant development  in  this  belt,  if  not  indeed  in  the  State,  is  at  the 
Cranberry  mine,  at  the  terminus  of  'he  East  Tennessee  and  Western 
North  Carolina  railroad.  The  ore  deposit  is  an  immense  lens  of 
magnetite,  associated  with  hornblende,  pyroxene,  epidote,  quartz, 
feldspar,  calcite,  &c.  The  present  workings  of  the  Cranberry  mine 
cover  about  eight  acres  on  the  slope  of  Cranberry  ridge,  and  consists 
of  tw^o  tunnel  openings  and  four  main  open  cuts  in  successive  levels 
Oi  benches.  Altogether  the  ore  body  has  been  opened  up  and 
explored  in  these  main  workings  about  eight  huri  Ired  and  seventy- 
five  feet  in  length,  by  three  hundred  feet  in  breadth,  by  one  hundred 
and  sixty-five  feet  in  average  depth,  representing  approximately 
1,600,000  cubic  yards.  At  a  low  estimate,  this  volume  would 
contain  4,800,000  tons  of  ore  material.  The  ore  varies  in  character 
from  very  fine  grained,  dense,  massive  to  soft  coarse  granular  magne- 
tite. Analyses  show  the  ore  to  vary  from  forty-five  per  cent,  iron 
(run  of  mine)  to  sixty-eight  per  cent,  from  selected  masses  of  ore. 
It  is  well  within  the  Bessemer  limit  as  to  both  sulphur  and  phos- 
phorus. The  ores  are  smelted  in  a  small  coke  furnace  situated  at  the 
mine,  and  the  pig  iron  is  of  a  special  Bessemer  grade,  averaging  less 
than  1. 00  per  cent,  silicon  and  0.025  per  cent,  phosphorus.  It  has 
attained  a  wide  reputation  for  the  manufacture  of  steel.  The  annual 
production  has  varied  from  about  four  hundred  tons  to  a  maximum  of 
three  thousand  two  hundred  tons.  The  possibilities  of  the  Cranberry 
mine  as  an  ore  producer  have  never  been  fairly  demonstrated.  It  is 
without  exception  the  largest  deposit  of  Bessemer  ore  in  the  South, 
and  its  importance  and  value  iu  this  respect  are  very  great. 

The  Iron  Mountain  ore  beds  are  situated  in  the  western  part  of 
Mitchell  county.  Among  the  principal  deposits  is  the  Jenkins  mine, 
on  Greasy  creek,  where  the  ore  body  is  stated  to  be  18  feet  in 
maximum  thickness.  The  general  Cranberry  belt  has  been  traced 
from  the  Jenkins  place  to  the  Toe  river,  a  distance  of  eight  and  a  half 
miles. 

The  Roan  Mountain  Titaniferous  belt  lies  from  three  to  five 
miles  south  of  the  Cranberry  belt,  and  generally  parallel  to  it.  The 
Titaniferous  belt  of  Pumpkin  Patch  mountain,  north  of  Bakersville 
in  Mitchell  county,  shows  similar  ores. 

There  is  only  one  locality  of  note  in  the  magnetite  ores  of 
Madison  county,  namely,  the  Big  Ivy  or  Heck  mine,  six  miles 
north  of  Alexander,  where  an  ore  body  some  50  feet  in  width  has  been 
exposed.  The  ore  is  very  similar  to  that  of  the  Cranberrv 
mine. 


98  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


The  Brown  Hematite  ores  of  Cherokee  county  are  among  the 
most  important  in  the  State.  The  ore  beds  of  value  occur  in  the 
calc  schists  immediately  below  the  quartzites,  and  above  the  marble. 
The  principal  deposits  extend  in  a  northeasterly  direction  from 
Murphy  along  Valley  river  for  a  distance  of  some  sixteen  miles. 
The  outcrop  is  a  double  one.  (i).  Extending  in  a  sharp  synclinal 
bed  underlying  the  quartzite,  in  a  direction  N.  40°  K,  from  the 
Hiwassee  river  to  Mason  creek.  (2).  And  in  a  flat  synclinal  bed  along 
the  crest  of  the  low  ridge  running  slightly  north  of  east  from 
Vengeance  creek  to  Valley  town.  In  the  former  the  quantity  of  ore  is 
naturally  greater,  as  the  members  of  the  synclinal  fold  dip  at  steep 
angles,  and  in  all  probability  the  ore  extends  to  considerable  depth; 
its  thickness  is  from  i  to  40  feet.  In  the  latter  the  ore  lies  nearly 
flat,  on  or  near  the  crest  of  the  ridge,  and  is  therefore  contracted  in 
its  dimensions.  Present  explorations  have  shown  a  width  of  from  40 
to  175  feet,  and  a  thickness  of  from  8  to  38  feet. 

The  ore  is  everywhere  well  situated  for  mining,  but  most  advan- 
tageously in  the  latter  formation,  where  it  can  be  mined  almost  ex- 
clusively by  stripping  and  open  work.  Representative  samples  of 
these  ores  show: 

Silica 8.31%  9.08% 

Metallic  Iron 54-94  50.02 

Sulphur 0.055  0.712 

Phoaphorus 0.476  1-423 

Similar  ores  occur  in  the  western  part  of  Madison  county.* 


ECOiNOniC  MINERALS. 


CORUNDUM. 

In  the  production  of  corundum,  North  Carolina  leads  all  the 
other  States,  and  indeed,  during  1895,  nearly  all  the  corundum  mined 
in  the  United  States,  came  from  North  Carolina.  With  a  single 
exception  (Acme  mine  in  Iredell  county)  the  mines  in  the  State  which 
have  been  operated  during  the  past  few  years,  are  located  in  a  narrow 
belt  of  crysolite  rock,  which  extends  from  Virginia  across  this  State 
into  Georgia,  between  the  Blue  Ridge  and  the  Great  Smoky  moun- 
tains. The  more  important  of  these  mines  which  have  been  recently 
operated,  are  the  following:  Corundum  Hill  (Cullasaja)  mine  and 
Hosea  Moses  mine  in  Macon  county;  Sapphire  (Hog  Back)  mine  in 

*NoTE — For  more  detailed  descriptions  of  the  iron  ore  deposits  of  the  State, 
see  Bulletin,  No.  i,  published  by  the  State  Geological  Survey. 


Corundum.  99 

Jackson  county;  Behr  mine  and  Buck  Creek  (CuUakanee)  mine  in 
Clay  county;  Carter  mine  in  Madison  county,  and  the  Acme  mine  in 
Iredell  county. 

The  first  of  these,  the  Corundum  Hill  mine,  seven  miles  south- 
east of  Franklin,  is  not  only  the  best  known,  but  has  been  the  longest 
and  most  successfully  worked  of  any  of  these  mines.  Operations  were 
begun  here  by  Col.  C.  W.  Jencks,  in  1871;  andsince  1878,  the  annual 
output  of  this  mine  has  been  from  two  hundred  to  three  hundred  tons 
of  clean  corundum.  Dr.  H.  S.  Lucas  is  the  present  manager.  The  first 
mining  here  was  chiefly  for  gems,  and  the  work  was  done  by  hydraulic 
process,  the  soil  and  the  decayed  rock  of  the  surface  being  washed 
through  a  series  of  sluice  boxes  inclined  at  a  considerable  angle.  The 
lighter  minerals  naturally  floated  ofi",  while  the  corundum  and  other 
heavy  minerals  remained  in  the  box.  The  Hosea  Moses  mine,  on 
Kllijay  creek,  a  few  miles  north  of  Corundum  Hill,  was  operated  for 
several  years  by  the  same  company  that  operated  the  Corundum  Hill 
(Hampden  Emery  Corundum  Co).  The  force  employed  at  these  two 
mines  during  the  past  few  years  has  been  somewhat  variable,  but  is 
usually  from  thirty  to  forty  men. 

The  Sapphire  mines,  near  the  Great  Hog  Back  mountain  in  the 
southeastern  corner  of  Jackson  county,  were  operated  on  a  consider- 
able scale  from  1892,  to  the  latter  part  of  1893,  from  fifty  to  sixty 
men  being  constantly  employed  in  mining  and  prospecting.  The  pro- 
duct in  1893  was  over  four  hundred  tons  of  material,  one-fourth  of 
which  was  said  to  have  been  nearly  pure  corundum  cr5^stal. 

The  Behr  mine,  five  miles  east  of  Hayesville,  was  opened  in  1880. 
A  steam  cleaning  plant  was  erected  at  the  mine  and  considerable  de- 
velopments and  prospecting  work  was  done. 

The  Buck  Creek  mine  is  also  located  in  the  eastern  part  of  Clay 
county.  The  inaccessibility  of  this  mine  has  been  one  of  the  chief 
difficulties  in  the  way  of  large  mining  operations  at  this  point.  Nearly 
all  the  corundum  is  in  massive  blocks  associated  with  black  horn- 
blende, and  this  makes  it  difficult  to  work,  but  corundum  occurs  here 
in  large  quantities,  and  one  may  reasonablj^  expect  large  mining 
operations  here  in  the  near  future. 

The  Carter  mine  is  located  in  the  southern  corner  of  Madison 
county.  The  corundum  occurs  here  in  considerable  quantities  asso- 
ciated with  spinel,  feldspar  and  other  minerals. 

The  Acme  mine,  about  three-fourths  of  a  mile  west  of  Statesville, 
was  operated  in  1893  to  the  extent  of  producing  about  50  tons  of  clean 
corundum.  Corundum  was  discovered  here  about  1875  by  Mr.  J.  A. 
D.  Stevenson,  but  active  mining  operations  were  not  begun  until  1893. 


loo  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

During  the  past  few  j^ears  a  considerable  amount  of  prospecting 
has  been  done  in  the  counties  west  of  the  Blue  Ridge,  especially  in 
Jackson,  Macon  and  Clay,  and  several  new  mines  are  being  opened  up 
at  the  present  time.  A  few  miles  north  of  Franklin,  on  Cowee  creek, 
hydraulic  mining  in  search  for  gem  corundum  has  been  carried  on 
during  i895-'96,  on  a  considerable  scale. 

MICA. 

Mica  mining  in  North  Carolina  has  been  carried  on  to  a  greater 
or  less  extent  daring  the  past  twenty-five  years,  mainly  in  the  coun- 
ties west  of  the  Blue  Ridge.  The  majority  of  the  mines  are  located 
in  Mitchell,  Yancey,  Jackson  and  Macon  counties.  During  the  past 
few  years  the  low  tariff  rate  has  permitted  the  importation  of  large 
quantities  of  mica  from  India,  and  this  has  had  a  tendency  to  decrease 
the  North  Carolina  product,  but  the  yield  of  these  mines  during  the 
past  year  (1895)  has  approximated  36,000  pounds  cut  mica.  Since 
1 891,  the  industry  has  received  something  of  a  stimulus  by  the  intro- 
duction of  the  mica  mill  for  the  grinding  of  scrap  mica,  which  prior 
to  that  date  had  been  regarded  as  waste  product;  the  quantity  of 
ground  mica  produced  has  increased  considerably  since  that  time. 

The  mica  occurs  usually  in  the  form  of  large  irregular  crystals 
from  one  to  three  feet  in  length,  and  from  a  few  inches  to  nearly  two 
feet  in  diameter  at  its  greatest  width;  these  crystals  are  usually 
bedded  in  a  matrix  of  quartz  and  feldspar  in  large  irregular  veins  from 
a  few  inches  to  many  feet  in  width,  and  sometimes  traceable  along  the 
surface  of  the  ground  for  a  half  mile  or  more.  Generally  in  these 
veins,  the  quartz  and  feldspar  predominate,  and  sometimes  very  little 
mica  is  present.  In  places,  however,  the  crystals  of  mica  occur  in 
abundance,  sometimes  near  the  foot-wall,  again  near  the  hanging-wall 
and  sometimes  scattered  irregularly  through  the  central  portion  of 
the  vein.  The  wall  rock  for  these  veins  is  usually  either  biotite  mica 
schists  or  schistose  gneiss. 

Probably  the  total  value  of  the  mica  product  in  North  Carolina 
since  the  beginning  of  the  industry  (1868)  has  not  been  much  short  of 
$3,000,000-00,  of  which  the  mines  of  Mitchell  and  Yancey  counties 
have  contributed  by  far  the  larger  part,  and  nearly  all  the  remainder 
has  been  produced  in  Jackson  and  Macon 

TALC  AND  AGALMATOLITE. 

The  mining  of  talc  is  confined  largely  to  Swain  and  Cherokee 
counties.     The  principal  deposits  which  have  been  worked  in  the  last 


MONAZITE. 


lOI 


few  years  being  those  on  the  Nan;ahala  river  at  Iiewetts,  Swain 
county;  and  those  on  the  Valley  river  at  Tomotla,  eight  or  ten  miles 
north  of  Murphy,  and  those  on  the  Nottely  river  some  five  miles 
southwest  of  Murphy.  At  each  of  these  places  mining  operations 
have  been  in  progress  during  the  past  few  years,  and  mills  have  been 
erected  for  the  grinding  of  talc  prior  to  shipment.  Specimens  of  talc 
have  been  found  in  a  number  of  other  counties,  and  recently  a 
deposit  ofthis  matter  has  been  described  as  occurring  in  Chatham  county. 
Agalmatolite — pyrophyllite  (silicate  of  alumina)  sometimes 
erroneously  classed  with  talc  (which  is  a  silicate  of  magnesia)  is  found 
in  deposits  of  considerable  magnitude  in  Chatham,  Moore  and  Orange 
counties,  where,  indeed,  it  occurs  as  a  white  or  greenish  slate  or 
schistose  rock,  which  can  be  mined  e.sily  and  cheaply. 

MONAZITE. 

A  few  years  ago  monazite  was  regarded  as  one  of  the  rare 
minerals  found  at  but  few  places  in  North  Carolina  and  elsewhere, 
and  of  no  special  economic  value;  but  since  the  discovery  of  the  fact 
that  the  small  percentage  of  thorium  (i  to  lo  per  cent.)  which  it  con- 
tains is  the  best  material  for  use  in  the  manufacture  of  the  Welsbach 
incandescent  gas  lights,  monazite  has  come  to  have  a  considerable 
economic  value,  and  has  been  mined  on  a  considerable  scale  in  North 
Carolina.  The  production  and  value  of  monazite  mined  in  the  State 
during  the  past  three  years  was  about  1,500,000  pounds,  valued  at 
more  than  $100,000  at  the  mines. 


PRISMATIC  AND  TWINNED  CRYSTAI^S  OF  MONAZITS— AI^EXANDER  CO. 

The  larger  part  of  this  monazite  has  been  mined  in  Burke, 
Cleveland,  Rutherford  and  McDowell  counties.  The  best  sands 
(highest  in  thoria)  came  from  Burke  and  Cleveland  counties,  though 
some  of  special  high  grade  has  been  reported  from  McDowell  county. 
The  price  of  monazite  has  varied  from  twenty-five  cents  per  pound  in 
1893,  to  as  low  as  three  cents  for  the  poorer  grades  and  six  to  ten 
eents  per  pound  for  the  better  grades  sold  in  i894-'95. 


I02  North  Carolina  and  its  Resourcks. 

This  monazite  is  found  along  the  narrow  valleys  near  the  head 
waters  of  the  small  streams,  mingled  with  the  gravel  and  sand  which 
lie  directly  upon  the  rock.  In  some  places,  however,  the  soil  on 
the  slopes  of  the  adjacent  hills  is  found  to  be  quite  rich  in  monazite. 
It  is  mined  with  the  shovel  and  pick,  the  soil  and  underlying  gravel 
containing  the  monazite  being  thrown  upon  a  perforated  iron  pan  at 
the  head  of  a  sluice  box,  and  as  this  is  washed  down  by  a  current  of 
water  the  monazite,  which  is  nearly  twice  as  heavy  as  ordinary  sand, 
quickly  settles  to  the  bottom  and  is  easily  separated  from  the  latter. 
The  separation  is  completed  by  a  slight  additional  washing.  The 
black  grains  of  magnetic  iron  sand  and  some  other  impurities  are 
removed  by  a  strong  magnet,  and  the  dried  monazite  is  then  ready 
for  shipment. 

MARLS  AND  PHOSPHATES. 

In  the  majority  of  the  counties  in  the  Coastal  Plain  region,  shell 
marls  are  found  sufficiently  near  the  surface  to  render  it  possible  for 
them  to  be  mined  and  used  for  agricultural  purposes,  and  for  many 
years  these  marls  were  used  extensively  in  this  connection.  They 
are  composed  largely  of  fossil  shells,  with  more  or  less  admixture  of 
sand  and  clay.  Analyses  show  many  of  them  to  contain  from  fifty  to 
ninety  per  cent,  of  carbonate  of  lime,  and  where  these  are  used  for 
agricultural  purposes  they  are  usually  scattered  over  the  fields  at  a 
rate  of  from  fifty  to  two  hundred  bushels  per  acre.  During  the  past 
few  years,  however,  the  price  of  agricultural  lime  has  been  so  low 
that  the  majority  of  the  planters  have  considered  it  cheaper  to  pur- 
chase lime  for  spreading  over  their  fields  than  to  mine  and  haul  the 
marls  which  they  have  on  their  farms. 

Deposits  of  phosphate  rock  have  been  found  in  Duplin,  Sampson, 
Pender,  Onslow,  Brunswick  and  New  Hanover  counties;  but  in  only 
one  of  these  counties  (New  Hanover)  have  these  phosphate  deposits 
been  mined  up  to  the  present  date.  At  Castle  Hayne,  ten  miles 
north  of  Wilmington,  phosphatic  pebbles  from  the  size  of  a  pea  to  an 
inch  in  diameter  are  found  mixed  \v  th  sand  and  clay  in  beds  from 
one  to  six  feet  in  thickness  at  a  depth  of  from  three  to  ten  feet  below 
the  surface  of  the  ground.  The  phosphate  pebbles  in  such  cases 
usually  make  from  ten  to  fifty  per  cent,  of  the  aggregate  mass  of  the 
material,  the  remainder  being  sand  and  clay.  Associated  with  this 
phosphate  gravel  is  usually  found  a  lime  rock  in  which  is  imbedded 
phosphate  pebbles  of  the  same  size  and  character  as  those  found  in 
the  sand,  this  being  generally   designated  phosphate  conglomerate. 

The  phosphate  pebbles  mined  at  Castle  Hayne,  are  there  washed 


Coal.  103 

and  dried,  and  shipped  to  Wilmington,  Norfolk  and  Baltimore,  where 
they  are  manufactured  into  commercial  fertilizer. 

On  the  Hermitage  plantation,  adjoining  the  Castle  Hayne  tract, 
phosphates  of  similar  character  are  found  extending  over  a  consider- 
able area.  The  phosphate  rock  in  Sampson  and  Duplin  counties 
occurs  in  much  larger  blocks,  from  a  few  inches  to  two  feet  in  diame- 
ter, highly  water-worn  and  overlaid  by  from  six  to  ten  feet  of  sand. 
Thus  far,  the  deposits  of  this  rock  discovered,  have  not  been  mined 
on  any  considerable  scale. 

COAL. 

The  coal  fields  of  North  Carolina  are  confined  to  two  limited 
areas  or  belts  of  triassic  sandstone.  The  smaller  or  Dan  river  belt 
having  a  width  of  from  two  to  four  miles,  and  a  length  of  nearly 
thirty  miles  in  northeast  and  southwest  directions.  The  other,  the 
Deep  river  sandstone  belt,  extends  along  a  trough,  narrow  at  each 
end  and  some  fifteen  miles  wide  at  its  central  point,  and  extends  from 
Oxford,  in  Granville  county,  southwestward  across  the  State.  In  the 
former  belt  tracings  of  coal  are  found  throughout  almost  its  entire 
length,  and  at  several  places  near  Walnut  Cove  coal  is  exposed; 
the  formation  carrying  merchantable  coal,  however,  is  limited  to  the 
region  from  the  southern  part  of  Chatham,  ten  or  twelve  miles  into 
the  northern  part  of  Moore. 

In  the  Dan  river  basin,  the  most  promising  outcrops  for  coal, 
are  those  along  the  line  near  the  wagon  road  from  Walnut  Cove  to 
German  ton.  The  coal  bearing  vein  there  is  said  to  have  a  thickness 
of  from  two  to  seven  feet.  It  is  exceedingly  friable  and  crumbles 
readily  when  exposed  to  the  atmosphere,  but  like  the  Cumnock  coal, 
it  cokes  readily  and  makes  an  excellent  gas  coal.  In  composition  it 
is  semibituminous.  The  outlook  for  occurrences  here  of  workable 
seams  of  coal  is  fairly  good. 

The  quality  of  the  coal  in  the  Deep  river  region  resembles 
somewhat,  but  seems  to  be  superior  in  character,  to  that  in  the  Dan 
river  region.  In  the  Deep  river  basin,  the  -^oal  with  its  shales, 
outcrops  along  the  northern  margin  of  the  belt  at  various  points  for 
more  than  fifteen  miles,  and  a  number  of  shafts  have  been  sunk  to 
and  through  the  main  seam.  In  this  basin,  Kmmons  reports  five 
seams  of  coal,  separated  by  black  shales  and  slates,  black-baud  iron 
ore  and  fire  clay;  and  estimates  the  area  of  this  coal  field  at  three 
hundred  square  miles.  In  this  region  a  considerable  amount  of 
prospecting  work  has  been  done  from  time  to  time  during  the  past 
few  years,  and  the  principal  coal  seam  reaches  from  three  to  five  feet 


I04  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

in  diameter;  it  also  cokes  we'l  and  is  an  excellent  gas  coal.  The 
only  mine  operated  on  any  considerable  scale  is  the  Cumnock,  or  old 
Egypt  coal  mine. 

CUHNOCK  COAL  MINES. 

The  Cumnock  mines  in  Chatham  county  are  the  only  operating 
colleries  in  North  Carolina.  These  mines,  originally  opened  years 
since,  were  operated  in  a  desultory  and  primitive  manner  prior  to 
1888,  when  Samuel  A.  Henszey,  of  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  obtained  pos- 
session, organized  a  company,  and  vigorouslj'-  proceeded  to  re-open 
the  mines  upon  an  extensive  scale,  install  a  modern  and  efficient 
plant  and  introduce  business  methods,  absence  of  which  had  accounted 
for  previous  indifferent  success.  Encountering  many  obstacles,  the 
restoration  and  development  proved  slow  and  expensive,  but  by  deter- 
mined and  persistent  effort  the  property  has  been  finally  placed  in  a 
position  that  assures  success.  The  underground  works  have  been 
opened  upon  a  large  scale  and  in  a  most  permanent  manner  for 
economical  operation.  The  machine  plant,  both  underground  and  on 
the  surface,  has  been  perfected  with  the  most  modern  appliances  for 
hoisting,  pumping  and  ventilation,  and  every  available  safeguard  for 
the  protection  of  life  and  property  has  been  introduced. 

The  colliery  is  operated  by  two  perpendicular  shafts — one  for 
ventilation  only,  measuring  8  x  10  feet,  tapping  the  vein  in  the 
"rise  "  workings  at  a  depth  of  two  hundred  and  twenty  feet,  and  the 
main  working  shaft,  8  x  12  feet,  four  hundred  and  sixty-four  feet 
in  depth.  The  present  plant  has  a  capacity  of  one  thousand  tons  per 
diem.  Direct  connection  is  had  with  the  Cape  Fear  and  Yadkin 
Valley  railway  at  Cumnock  and  the  Seaboard  Air  Line  at  Colon  by 
means  of  the  Raleigh  and  Western  railway,  an  extension  of  which  is 
well  advanced  toward  a  connection  with  the  Southern  railway  system 
at  or  near  Randleman,  in  Randolph  county.  The  yield  is  a  clean, 
shining  bituminous  coal,  igniting  easil3%  burning  with  a  bright,  clear 
combustion,  leaving  very  little  purplish,  grey  ash.  It  swells  and 
agglutinizes,  making  a  hollow  fire. 

The  following  analj^ses  made  at  different  times  and  from  sampling 
of  the  mine  at  various  points  attest  the  uniformity  of  qualitj^: 

Dr.  G.  C.  J.  H.  Dr.  H. 

Jackson.         Schaefer.         Cremer.        Endemaa. 


Volatile  matter 34.80  32.70  27.85  31.42 

Fixed  Carbon 

Ash 


Moisture . 
Sulphur. 


60  60.70  64. 19  63.32 

60  5.30  4.24  4.12 


•  •    .  1.95  I-I4 

1.30  1.77  1.99 


CUMNOCK    COAL    MINES. 


Graphite.  105 

The  Cumnock  company  owns  four  thousand  three  hundred  acres. 
The  workable  veins  aggregate  six  feet  in  thickness,  lying  in  two 
benches  of  four  feet  and  two  feet  respectively,  separated  by  two  feet 
of  black  band  iron  ore,  the  point  of  contact  being  plain  and  admitting 
of  clean  mining.  The  specific  gravity  of  these  coals  as  ascertained 
by  Dr.  H.  B.  Battle,  Ph.  D.,  is  for  the  upper  seam  1.31  and  the  lower 
1.43.  Using  this  basis,  competent  authorities  estimate  11,000  tons  to 
the  acre,  or  47,300,000  tons  within  the  land  owned  by  this  one  com- 
pany. The  coal  is  equally  suitable  for  manufacture  of  gas,  generation 
of  steam,  blacksmithing  and  domestic  use.  The  Greensboro  Gas 
Company  in  a  recent  letter  says:  "This  coal  made  nine  thousand 
seven  hundred  cubic  feet  of  gas,  eighteen  and  one-half  candle  power, 
and  forty-nine  bushels  of  good,  clean,  hard  coke. ' '  For  locomotive  use, 
Mr.  William  Montcure,  now  Superintendent  of  the  Central  Division 
Seaboard  Air  lyine,  made  an  exhaustive  test  some  time  since  and  in 
submitting  the  result  said:  "I  made  a  test  of  your  coal  as  com- 
pared with  Pocahontas,  using  the  same  engine,  pulling  the  same 
trains  with  the  same  crew,  with  the  following  result  for  the  same 
service: — Pocahontas  52,000,  Cumnock  40,000  lbs.  As  a  blacksmith 
coal  it  is  now  being  shipped  to  local  points  on  the  Norfolk  and 
Western  railroad.  As  a  grate  coal  it  is  without  a  superior,  burn- 
ing with  a  bright  blaze,  emitting  no  smoke  and  with  entire  absence 
of  soot. 

GRAPHITE. 

This  mineral,  in  small  quantities,  is  quite  widely  distributed  in 
North  Carolina  in  the  crystalline  rocks,  both  slates  and  gneisses,  and 
there  are  beds  of  a  more  or  less  impure  slaty  and  earthy  variety  in 
several  sections  of  the  State,  the  principal  of  which  are  two:  one  in 
Gaston,  Lincoln  and  Catav/ba,  as  a  constant  associate  of  the  argilla- 
ceous and  talcose  slates  and  shales  which  belong  to  the  Kings  Moun- 
tain slates,  and  the  other  in  Wake  count}'. 

The  Wake  county  beds  are  the  most  extensive,  as  well  as  the 
best  known,  graphite  beds  in  the  State.  They  extend  in  a  northeast 
and  southwest  direction  for  a  distance  of  sixteen  or  eighteen  miles, 
passing  two  and  a- half  miles  west  of  Raleigh.  The  thickness  is  two 
or  three,  and  occasionally  four  feet.  The  eastern  (and  longitudinally 
the  most  extensive)  bed  is  nearly  vertical.  It  was  opened  at  a  num- 
ber of  points  many  j^ears  ago  and  has  been  worked  on  a  small  scale, 
at  intervals,  during  the  past  few  years.  It  is  a  bed  of  quartzitic  and 
argillaceous  slates,  which  are  more  or  less  graphitic,  from  about 
twenty  to  sixty  per  cent,  graphite. 


io6  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

KAOLIN  AND   CLAY. 

At  various  places  in  the  older  rocks  of  middle  and  western  North 
Carolina  are  to  be  found  extensive  veins  or  dikes  composed  largely  of 
feldspathic  material  which  has  decayed  from  the  action  of  atmospheric 
agencies,  and  which  decayed  material  is  generally  designated  as 
Kaolin.  Generally  in  these  dikes  there  is  an  admixture  of  feldspar, 
quartz  and  mica.  In  places  the  mica  occurs  in  considerable  quan- 
tity, and  in  crystals  of  sufficient  size  to  permit  of  its  being  mined  for 
commercial  mica,  and  in  such  cases  the  deposit  is  designated  as  a  mica 
vein.  In  other  cases,  quartz  is  the  predominant  material,  and  in  still 
other  cases,  where  the  best  kaolin  is  produced,  the  proportion  of  both 
quartz  and  mica  are  small,  and  the  feldspar  is  the  prevailing  material. 
These  dikes  vary  considerably  in  size,  ranging  from  a  few  inches  to 
several  hundred  feet  in  thickness,  and  up  to  several  hundred  yards  in 
length.  They  are  generally,  though  not  always,  parallel  to  the 
schistosity  of  the  crystalline  rocks. 

The  kaolin  in  these  dikes,  which  occur  in  the  Uaka  or  Smoky 
mountains,  is  said  to  have  been  mined  by  the  Indians,  "packed" 
across  the  country  to  the  seaport  and  shipped  to  Europe  during  the 
early  settlement  of  the  country.  From  several  of  these  dikes  near 
Webster,  in  Jackson  county,  the  kaolin  is  being  mined  at  the  present 
time,  washed  and  dried,  and  shipped  to  Trenton,  N.  J.,  and  other 
pottery  centers.  The  most  noted  of  these  kaolin  dikes  in  Jackson 
county,  is  that  being  mined  near  Webster,  by  the  Harris  Clay 
Company,  which  dike  has  a  thickness  of  nearly  two  hundred  feet, 
and  has  been  traced  for  a  distance  of  more  than  half  a  mile.  The 
kaolin  is  mined  from  a  depth  of  from  sixt}^  to  one  hundred  and  twenty 
feet,  below  which  point,  the  original  feldspar  is  not  sufficiently  soft- 
ened by  decay  to  permit  of  cheap  mining  operations. 

Many  similar,  but  far  smaller  feldspar  and  kaolin  dikes  are  to  be 
found  in  various  counties  of  both  the  Mountain  and  Piedmont  Plateau 
regions;  but  none  of  these  have  been  worked  to  any  considerable 
extent  for  either  feldspar  or  kaolin. 

There  are  also  many  deposits  of  clay,  varying  in  shades  of  color, 
from  white,  like  kaolin,  to  purplish,  yellowish  brown,  resulting  from 
the  decay  of  granite,  gneisses  and  crystals  in  schists  in  these  regions. 
These  claj^s,  of  course,  vary  in  composition  both  with  the  character 
of  the  rocks  from  which  they  have  been  formed,  and  with  the  extent 
to  which  the  materials  of  the  original  rocks  have  been  separated  by 
the  sorting  action  of  water  in  transporting  materials  from  one  place 
to  another.  They  are  frequently  a  reddish  or  yellowish  color  owing 
to  the  oxide  of  iron  present,  though  at  many  places  their  colors  are 


Gems  and  Gem  Stones.  107 

lighter.  These  clays  are  used  on  a  small  scale  in  almost  every  region 
where  brick  are  needed  for  the  construction  of  houses  or  chimneys, 
but  only  at  a  few  places,  such  as  Biltmore,  (Buncombe  county,) 
Pomona,  (Guilford  county,)  and  Goldsboro,  (Wayne  county,)  have 
they  been  used  extensively  in  the  manufacture  of  tile,  drain  and 
sewer  pipes. 

Fire  brick  are  also  manufactured  at  Pomona;  and  the  clay  beds 
near  Grover  (Gaston  county)  are  said  to  make  fire  brick  and  vitrified 
brick  of  excellent  quality. 

The  most  extensive  beds  of  clay  known  in  North  Carolina  are 
those  found  in  the  Coastal  Plain  region.  In  the  Potomac  (lower  Creta- 
ceous) formation,  there  are  extensive  beds  of  laminated,  dark-colored 
clays,  exposed  along  the  banks  of  rivers  crossing  the  Coastal  Plain 
region,  notably  on  the  Cape  Fear  river  for  fifty  miles  below  Fa3'ette- 
ville.  These  clays  are  usually  dark  in  color  owing  to  the  vegetable 
matter  which  they  contain;  and,  in  some  cases,  they  are  highly 
lignitic. 

Along  the  western  border  of  the  Coastal  Plain  region,  especially 
in  Moore  and  Harnett  counties,  there  are  limited  exposures  of  silici- 
ous  deposits  (over-lying  the  Potomac  series,  and  capping  some  of  the 
sand-hills)  which  have  recently  been  tested  for  fire  brick  with  very 
satisfactory  results.  These  deposits  are  from  five  to  fifteen  or  more 
feet  in  thickness,  and  are  overlaid  by  but  a  few  feet  of  loose  sand. 
In  a  few  places  the  material  has  all  the  qualities  of  fullers  earth. 

Among  the  Miocene  deposits,  there  are,  in  places  along  theriver- 
bluflfs  in  the  Coastal  Plain  region,  especially  on  the  Roanoke  and  the 
Tar,  somewhat  extensive  exposures  of  "blue  marl,"  a  calcareous 
clay  which  may  prove  to  be  of  some  value,  but  of  v/hich  no  practical 
tests  have  yet  been  made. 

The  Lafayette  (Pliocene)  materials,  which  are  spread  over  so 
large  a  portion  of  the  Coastal  Plain  region,  are  generally  sandy  in 
composition,  with  a  large  admixture  of  loam  in  many  places.  No 
extensive  deposits  of  clay  have  been  observed  among  the  materials  of 
this  formation,  though  doubtless  limited  deposits  of  clay  will  be 
discovered  as  more  extensive  explorations  are  made. 


GEMS  AND  GEfl  STONES. 


Many   of  the   varieties    of  precious  stones  or  gems  of  commerce 
are  found  in  this  State,  and  have  been   searched  for  in  spasmodic 


loS  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


exploration  for  a  number  of  years.  The  accidental  discovery  some 
fifteen  years  ago  of  emerald  and  hiddenite  in  Alexander  county,  where 
gem  mining  on  a  considerable  scale  was  conducted  for  several  j-^ears, 
may  be  considered  the  beginning  of  this  industry.  The  indications 
rarely  justify  the  expenditure  of  much  capital,  and  the  existing  con- 
ditions barely  justify  the  rating  as  an  industry.  Yet  it  is  a  source  of 
revenue  to  a  few  persons  who  wash  the  gravel  or  gouge  out  the 
crystals  from  the  mother  rock. 

The  largest  plant  operated  for  gems  exclusively  was  that  in 
Alexander  count}'^,  where  emerald,  hiddenite,  beryl,  rarely  termi- 
nated rutile,  and  exquisite  shades  of  garnets  were  found;  and  next  to 
this  should  be  mentioned  Corundum  Hill  in  Macon  county,  where 
rubies,  sapphires,  beryls  and  garnets  are  gathered  incidentally  in 
washing  corundum  for  the  markets.  Again,  garnets,  beryls,  rubies, 
sapphires,  hj^acinth,  emerald,  citrine  topaz,  amethyst  and  rare  quartz 
gems  are  taken  incidentally  in  McDowell  county,  on  the  property 
of  tbe  Marion  Improvement  Company,  under  the  skillful  manage- 
ment of  Col.  H.  C.  Demming,  of  Harrisburg,  Pa.  And  in  a  desul- 
tory way,  in  Mitchell,  Yanc3%  Macon,  Buncombe,  McDowell,  Burke, 
Alexander,  Iredell,  Lincoln  and  other  counties  various  gem  stones 
are  gathered  and  sold  to  local  and  foreign  dealers. 

Diamond. — There  is  recorded  the  finding  of  thirteen  small 
diamonds  in  the  State.  Seven  of  these  are  credited  to  the  auriferous 
gravel  beds  of  Burke,  McDowell  and  Rutherford  counties  centering 
about  the  Brindletown  'region.  The  largest  one  of  these  weighed 
four  and  one-third  carats,  and  was  found  in  McDowell  county.  The 
remaining  six  are  credited  to  the  following  counties:  Lincoln  i; 
Mecklenburg  2 ;  Franklin  2 ;  Richmond  i .  There  is  but  small  indica- 
tion that  diamonds  may  be  found  v/ith  more  frequency  in  the  future, 
yet  the  forest  clad  hills  may  one  day  give  to  the  diamond  hunter 
rewards  little  dreamed  of  now. 

Hiddenite. — This  is  an  emerald-green  variety  of  spodumene, 
found  only  in  Alexander  county,  when  it  occurs  sparsely  in  the  soil 
and  gneissoid  rock,  along  wdth  emerald,  monazite,  rutile,  allanite, 
dolomite  and  quartz  crystals  of  generally  smoky  color  and  rare  modi- 
fications. At  one  time  a  considerable  amount  of  mining  was  done  by 
the  Emerald  and  Hiddenite  Mining  Company  in  search  of  these  gems, 
and  with  gratifying  success,  as  crystals  of  hiddenite  and  chrome- 
green  ber^d  of  exceptional  size  and  conspicuous  beauty  were  obtained. 

Hiddenite  was  named  after  Mr.  W.  E.  Hidden,  of  New  Jersey 
(a  mineralogist  of  note  who  has  done  much  valuable  work  in  this 
State),  by  Prof.  J.  Laurence  Smith,  who  identified  the  mineral.     To 


1      E/nERAUP  GR.Y3TAL. 

2..  5A\OKY  TOPAZ^. 

3.  5APPH1RE-.. 

■H.  5AGEMTEi_-. 

5  PALE  EnER-ALD. 


6,  A/^EThY6T 

7.  nlDDE^<ITE  CRY5TALi 
8.f?05E0Al^N£-r 

9,  CITRINE. TOPAX. 


sons  liATlVE  GE/A5. 


Gems  and  Gem  Stones. 


109 


the  energy  and  enterprise  of  Mr.  Hidden  is  due  the  introduction  of 
hiddenite  as  a  gem  of  rarity  and  with   an   established   commercial 


CRYSTAI^  OP  HIDDENITE— SPODUMENE. 

value  of  $100  or  more  per  carat  for  richly  colored  specimens;  but  speci- 
mens of  the  natural  crystal  were  exhibited  in  the  cabinet  of  Mr. 
J.  A.  D.  Stevenson,  of  Statesville,  N.  C,  for  several  years  prior  to 
Mr.  Hidden 's  exploitation.  The  gem  is  justly  esteemed  for  its  great 
beauty  of  color,  its  superiority  over  the  emerald  in  the  splendor  of  its 
fire,  and  in  its  being  the  rarest  of  the  precious  stones.  (See  colored 
plate;  this  crystal  now  in  the  Harvard  Museum.) 

Emerald. — Beryls  of  chrome-green  color  have  been  found 
in  many  localities  in  Mitchell,  Yancey,  Macon,  McDowell,  Burke, 
Iredell  and  notably  in  Alexander  county.  The  most  celebrated 
specimens  are  still  uncut  in  the  hands  of  collectors  outside  the  State. 
One  of  the  finest  crystals  ever  found  here  was  taken  from  the  property 
of  the  Emerald  and  Hiddenite  Mining  Co.,  and  is  now  in  the  private 
collection   of  Mr.  C.  S.  Bement,    of  Philadelphia.     It    is  eight   and 


MODIFIED  BASAL  TERMINATIONS — ALEXANDER  COUNTY  EMERALDS. 

a-half  inches  in  length  and  weighs  nine  ounces.     (See  colored  plate.) 
There  were  other  handsome  crystals  doubly  terminated,  and  perhaps 


no 


North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


of  better  color  found,  but  somewhat  inferior  to  this  in  size.  Mr.  J. 
A.  D.  Stevenson  secured  a  crystal  (fractured)  a  few  years  ago  with  an 
outside  border  or  coating  of  rich  chrome-green  color,  which  weighed 
very  nearly  twenty-seven  ounces.  This  specimen  offered  fine  material 
for  the  lapidist,  but  its  lack  of  symmetry  and  absence  of  terminations 
lessened  its  scientific  value. 

Aquamarine. — Pale  bluish,  bluish-green,  pale  green,  greenish- 
yellow,  yellow,  golden  yellow  and  limpid  white  beryls  are  found  in  the 
mica  veins  of  Mitchell,  and  in  feldspathic  and  micaceous  rocks  and  in 
the  soil  in  Yancey,  Macon,  McDowell,  Burke,  Alexan- 
der, Iredell  and  other  counties.  These  tints  are  more 
abundant  than  the  chrome-colored,  and  are  sought 
after  by  those  living  in  proximity  to  the  localities 
and  offered  to  collectors;  eventually  finding  their 
way  into  cabinets  or  the  show  cases  of  gem  dealers. 
Many  of  these  crystals  are  of  great  scientific 
interest  because  of  the  remarkable  terminations, 
oftentimes  rivalling  the  lapidist  in  the  number  and 
brilliancy  of  the  facets  presented.  A  few  of  these 
remarkable  geometric  figures  are  presented  here, 
through  the  courtesy  of  the  American  Journal  of 
Science. 

Many  fine  crystals  and  fragments  of  various  shades  of  coloring, 
and  ranging  in  size  from  the  minutest  forms  to  those  of  more  than  two 
feet  in  length  and  as  much  as  seven  inches 
in  diameter  have  been  found  at  the  mica 
mines,  and  some  specimens  from  other  locali- 
ties. These  immense  crystals  are  opaque 
and  generally  bluish  or  greenish  in  color, 
and  are  of  value  only  as  specimens. 

Ruby. — The  ruby  is  derived  from  the  red 
crystals  of  corundum,  and  the  finest  specimens 
in  the  State  so  far  discovered  are  from  Macon 
county,  and  the  majority  from  the  Corundum  Hill  mines.  A  few  are 
found  in  Clay,  Jackson,  Iredell  and  Gaston  counties.  There  have 
been  but  few  found  of  the  coveted  pigeon-blood  color. 

Sapphire. — Ivike  the  ruby,  sapphires  come  from  crystals 
of  corundum,  and  they  are  to  be  found  at  the  same  localities 
designated  for  ruby.  Many  nice  gems  have  been  found  in  the  State. 
(See  colored  plate.)  The  term  "oriental"  is  applied  in  commerce  to 
ruby,  sapphire,  emerald  and  topaz,  and  in  speaking  of  oriental  sap- 
phire, it  is  meant  that  it  is  a  corundum  sapphire,  and  so  on  through 


BERYL— MODIFIED  TER- 
MINATION OF  CRYS 
TAL. 


BERYL— BASAL    VIEW    OF   TER- 
MINATIONS. 


Gems  and  Gem  Stones.  hi 

the  list.  Coruudum  is  next  to  diamond  in  hardness,  and  gems  from 
that  source  are  more  highly  prized  on  that  account. 

CyaniTE. — This  mineral  is  not  very  rare  in  its  occurrence  in  this 
State,  and  comes  from  practically  the  same  localities  designated 
above  for  corundum  gems.  It  is  of  an  exquisite  deep-blue  color 
much  resembling  sapphire,  but  of  a  softer  substance,  yet  hard  enough 
for  gem  purposes.  The  finest  specimens  are  found  at  Yellow 
mountain,  in  Mitchell  county. 

Garnet. — This  material  is  widely  distributed  in  the  State  and 
is  a  constant  constituent  of  many  of  the  micaceous  and  other  igneous 
rocks,  and  in  flattened  crystals  in  muscovite  and  biotite  crystals  as 
inclusions.  It  is  found  massive  and  in  trapezohedron  crystals 
weighing  from  six  to  eighteen  pounds  each,  and  through  many 
intervening  forms  down  to  the  small  fractured  masses  in  Kinzigite 
and  in  sands.  In  color  it  ranges  from  black  into  red,  cherry, 
cinnamon,  almandine,  purple,  rose  and  other  pale  tints.  (See  colored 
plate.)  The  most  desirable  shades  for  gems  come  from  Macon 
and  Alexander,  but  good  gems  are  found  in  Mitchell,  Yancey, 
McDowell,  Burke,  Caldwell,  Catawba  and  other  counties.  Pyrope 
and  massive  garnet  for  conversion  into  abrasives  is  found  in 
McDowell  and  Burke  counties.  Massive  manganiferous  garnet  is 
found  in  Rutherford,  Lincoln,  Gaston,  Rockingham,  Stokes,  Chatham 
and  other  localities. 

Quartz. — The  widest  distribution  characterizes  this  material. 
It  is  comparatively  abundant  in  about  one-third  of  the  area  of  the 
State.  Many  rare  and  interesting  forms  are  to  be  found,  as  well  as 
some  remarkably  large  crystals;  in  fact  crystals  approaching  three 
hundred  pounds  in  weight  are  credited  to  Ashe  county.  Caldwell 
county  furnishes  some  beautiful  and  perfectly  limpid  specimens. 
Alexander  county  is  a  more  prolific  source  and  supplies  specimens  of 
many  shades  in  color  and  of  great  scientific  interest  because  of  rarely 
modified  terminations.  Both  Mr.  J.  A.  D.  Stevenson  and  Mr.  W. 
K.  Hidden  have  forwarded  fine  collections  ranging  in  color  from 
almost  black  through  varying  tints  of  brown  and  yellowish-brown  to 
limpid  white,  to  Germany  at  the  request  of  an  eminent  crystallographer, 
the  late  G.  von  Rath,  of  Bonn,  who  carefully  studied  and  figured 
them,  announcing  in  his  results  many  new  forms  or  planes  hitherto 
unknown  to  science. 

Under  the  general  head  of  quartz,  reference  may  properly  be  had 
to  several  gems  belonging  to  this  classification. 

Sagenite,  Venus'  hair,  arrows  of  love  and  rutilated  quartz,  are 
the  names  usually  applied  to  one  of  the  most  striking  of  the  quartz 


112  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

gems.  It  occurs  as  a  crystal  or  taass  of  quartz  holding  as  inclusions 
scores  of  acicular  crystals  of  rutile;  these  are  brown,  red  and  yellow 
in  color  and  are  meshed  in  confusing  lines  of  fiery  brightness  which 
are  very  effective  in  artificial  light.  Iredell  county  has  supplied 
many  fine  specimens;  as  have  Alexander,  Catawba  and  Burke 
counties.     (See  colored  plate.) 

Citrine  topaz — yellow  quartz — is  also  found  in  Burke  and  adjoin- 
ing counties;  but  rarely  in  deep,  rich  color.  It  makes  a  striking 
gem  when  the  coloring  is  good,  and  is  much  esteemed.  The  reproduc- 
tion in  the  colored  plate  is  from  the  collection  of  Mr.  A.  M.  Field, 
at  Asheville. 

Smoky  topaz — cairngorm — occurs  in  many  shades  of  brown,  from 
very  deep — almost  black — through  varying  rich  tones  and  fading  into 
limpid  white.  This  gem,  while  of  low  price,  is  much  admired  in 
some  of  its  richer  colorings. 

Amethyst — purple  quartz — is  widely  distributed,  almost  as  great 
in  extent  as  quartz.  It  occurs  in  deep  and  pale  shades  of  purple, 
and  is  too  well  known  to  demand  extended  notice.  Catawba  and 
lyincoln  counties  have  produced  handsome  crystals  in  clusters. 

Some  few  specimens  of  opalescent  quartz  have  been  found  which 
imder  the  lapidist's  wheel  have  turned  out  fair  results.  Cabarrus 
county  has  supplied  the  best  of  this  variety  of  quartz. 

In  addition  to  the  above  there  have  been  found  many  quartz 
crystals  with  inclusions  of  various  substances,  which  have  presented 
when  cut,  attractive  gems.  Some  of  the  prettiest  of  these  came  from 
the  property  of  the  Marion  Improvement  Company  in  McDowell 
county. 

Other  Gem  Stones. — There  are  a  number  of  gem  bearing 
stones,  which  while  affording  occasional  gems,  are  not  sought  like 
the  foregoing.  Among  these  may  be  mentioned  zircon,  which  occurs 
in  small  crystals  in  many  localities.  Some  limpid  white  gems  (smrJl) 
have  been  cut,  but  no  large  gems  of  any  color 
have  been  discovered. 

Agate  also  occurs  in  the  State,  and  some 
material  fit  for  cutting  has  been  found  in  Cabar- 
rus and  Mecklenburg  counties.  Some  speci- 
mens of  moss  agate  are  reported  from  Orange 
county. 

Rutile  of  fine  texture  has  been  cut  into 
srems — much    resembling    black    diamond    in 

°  ^  RUTir-,E— HIGHLY    MODIFIBD 

effect — but  is  not  often  found  flawless  erough        basal  terminations. 
for  the  purpose.     Specimens  of  malachite,  tourmaline,  spinel,  chryso- 


C-^    V*     i 


MT.  AIRY    GRANITE    QUARRY  — CAPE    FEAR    &    YADKIN    VALLEY    RAILROAD. 


BuiLDiKG  Stones.  113 


lite,  lazulite,  carnelian  and  jasper  have  all  been  four.d,  and  occasion- 
ally acceptable  gems  result  from  these  sources.  Also  from  fresh  water 
mussels  in  creeks  and  rivers  are  occasionally  secured  pearls  of  fair 
quality. 


BUILDING  STONES. 


Building  materials  are  quite  widely  distributed  in  middle  and 
western  North  Carolina,  though  all  the  better  grades  of  building 
stones  are  to  be  found  in  the  middle  counties,  or  the  Piedmont  Plateau 
region.  Roughly  speaking,  the  State  may  be  divided  into  a  series  of 
geologic  belts,  extending  in  a  general  northeast  and  southwest 
direction.  Three  of  these  belts  may  be  said  to  carr}^  most  of  the 
stone  of  economic  importance. 

Sandstone  belts,  one  of  which  includes  the  brown  stone  of  Anson, 
Moore,  Chatham,  Wake,  Durham  and  Orange  counties;  and  the 
other  includes  the  brownstones  of  Stokes  and  Rockingham. 

The  eastern  granites  and  gneisses,  including  the  gneiss  of  Vance 
and  Wake  counties,  the  granites  of  Franklin,  Granville  and  Warren, 
and  the  smaller  areas  of  granite  in  Wilson,  Edgecombe,  Richmond 
and  Anson . 

The  Piedmont  granite  belt,  which  consists  of  the  granitic  and 
syenitic  rocks  of  Person,  Caswell,  Alamance,  Guilford,  Forsyth, 
Davie,  Davidson,  Rowan,  Iredell,  Cabarrus,  Mecklenburg  and  Gaston 
counties. 

The  gneisses  and  granites  west  of  this  Piedmont  Granite  belt, 
but  still  within  the  limits  of  the  Piedmont  Plateau  region,  are  some- 
what isolated.  The  ordinary  rocks  of  the  country  are  gneiss,  which 
at  intervals  are  sufficiently  granitic  in  character  to  permit  of  their 
being  used  for  building  purposes,  and  at  intervals  throughout  this 
area,  as  at  Mt.  Airy,  considerable  masses  of  typical  granitic  material 
are  found.  In  the  Mountain  region,  the  rocks  are  generally  gneissic 
in  character,  but  in  many  places,  as  about  Flendersonville,  at  Troy's 
quarries,  this  gneiss  proves  valuable  for  architectural  purposes,  and 
at  a  number  of  places,  notably  at  Stone  mountain,  in  Wilkes  county; 
in  the  neighborhood  of  Hickory  Nut  Gap;  and  on  the  French  Broad 
river  below  Asheville,  there  are  masses  of  true  granite  surrounded 
by  gneisses. 

The  browstones  are  largely  limited  to  the  eastern  sandstone  belt, 
which  extends  from  Oxford,  in  Granville  count}',  in  a  south v.'esteiiy 


114  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

direction  across  the  State,  with  a  maximum  width  of  about  fifteen 
miles.  Tiie  rocks  of  this  belt  are  all  of  triassic  age,  belonging  to 
the  same  geological  formation,  which  with  Connecticut,  Pennsyl- 
vania and  New  Jersey,  furnish  the  famous  brownstone  for  northern  and 
eastern  cities.  Within  the  limits  of  this  belt  are  many  exposures  of 
a  fine,  compact,  light  and  dark  reddish  brownstone,  not  at  all  inferior 
to  the  better  grades  of  brownstones  from  the  States  just  mentioned. 
Quarries  have  been  opened  up  at  a  number  of  different  places,  the 
more  important  of  which,  are  the  following:  The  Frank  Hammond 
quarry,  two  miles  south  of  Wadesboro;  the  I^inehan  quarry,  one 
mile  north  of  Wadesboro;  and  the  Wadesboro  Brownstone  quarry, 
about  one  mile  northwest  of  Wadesboro.  The  stone  from  all  three  of 
these  is  homogeneous,  fine  grained  and  compact,  varying  in  color 
from  a  reddish  brown  to  a  grayish  brown. 

Near  Sanford,  there  are  also  several  brownstone  quarries;  that  of 
the  Aldredge  Brownstone  Co.,  one  mile  south  of  Sanford,  being  the 
largest  and  most  actively  worked  of  the  region.  This  quarry  has  a 
branch  railroad  connecting  with  the  Cape  Fear  and  Yadkin  Valley  and 
the  Seaboard  and  Air  Line  railroads  at  Sanford,  and  is  now  quarrying, 
sawing  and  shipping  brownstone  of  excellent  qualit}''  to  a  number 
of  States.  Other  quarries  which  have  been  operated  to  a  greater  or 
less  extent  in  this  region  during  the  past  few  years,  are  the  Goenella 
Bros,  quarry,  about  one  and  one-fourth  miles  south  of  Sanford  and 
near  the  Seaboard  Air  Line  railroad;  the  Carolina  Red  and  Brown- 
stones  Company's  quarry,  where  a  mill  has  been  erected  for  sawing 
the  stone,  and  the  Carolina  Brownstone  Company's  quarry,  about  one- 
fourth  mile  west  of  Sanford.  There  are  also  other  places  near 
Sanford  where  brownstone  of  good  quality  has  been  discovered  and 
opened  up  to  a  limited  extent. 

Near  Carthage,  in  Moore  county,  on  the  property  of  Messrs. 
Grimm,  McNeal  &  Bros.,  are  several  outcrops  of  brownstone  which 
promise  to  be  of  excellent  quality. 

Near  Cumnock  (Egypt)  is  a  large  exposure  of  a  brownish  red, 
compact  sandstone,  which  is  exposed  along  the  banks  of  Deep  river 
for  a  distance  of  half  a  mile.  Also  about  one  mile  east  of  Guilford 
along  the  banks  of  Deep  river,  is  a  fine  to  medium  grained  sandstone; 
and  in  other  places  near  by  sandstones  of  color  varying  from  olive  to 
gray  and  buff,  have  been  found  in  considerable  quantities,  and  are 
being  quarried  by  the  Gulf  Buff  Stone  Company. 

Also  along  the  line  of  the  Raleigh  and  Western  railroad,  between 
Cumnock  and  Colon,  medium  fine  grained  brownstone  of  good  quality 
has  been  quarried  to  a  limited  extent. 


.m^^^$-    r  41.:    -^^??^. 


.•^ 


'% 


\ 


^#:*^- 


STONE    MOUNTAIN  — WILKES    COUNTY. 


Building  Stones.  115 


At  several  points  in  the  western  part  of  Wake  count}-,  as,  near 
Brassfield,  and  in  Durnam  county,  sandstone  of  good  quality  has  been 
quarried  to  some  extent.  The  Dukes'  quarry  is  located  about  one 
mile  east  of  Durham,  and  the  Rogers  quarrj'  is  located  near  the 
latter. 

Concerning  the  granites,  the  following  brief  statement  can 
mention  only  some  of  the  more  important  quarries  and  places.  In 
Wake  county  there  are  near  the  city  of  Raleigh  important  beds  of 
granitic  gneiss  which  were  worked  at  the  "Capitol  Quarry"  in  the 
eastern  edge  of  the  citj^  from  which  the  material  was  obtained  for 
the  construction  of  the  Capitol.  The  penitentiary  quarry,  inside  the 
enclosure  of  this  institution,  furnished  the  stone  for  the  foundation 
and  walls  of  the  prison,  and  for  a  number  of  other  purposes.  On  Dr. 
Lewis's  farm,  two  miles  northwest  of  Raleigh,  is  a  hard,  tough,  fine 
grained,  gray  gneiss,  which  has  been  worked  at  intervals  for  many 
purposes.  At  Wyatt,  on  the  Raleigh  and  Gaston  railroad,  is  a  pink 
granite;  and  near  Rolesville,  some  fifteen  miles  northeast  of  Raleigh, 
are  extensive  deposits  of  gray  biotite  granite  with  pinkish  feldspar. 

In  Franklin  county  there  is  a  quarry  at  Louisburg;  and  extensive 
beds  of  gray  biotite  granite,  medium  grained,  on  the  Freeman  Mill 
place  in  Nash  county,  about  tv^^elve  miles  west  of  Springhope;  this 
stone  is  of  good  quality,  and  would  doubtless  work  in  a  satisfactory 
manner. 

In  Granville  and  Warren  counties  granite  of  good  quality  has 
been  worked  to  a  limited  extent  at  a  number  of  different  places  in  the 
vicinity  of  Oxford;  at  Warrenton,  and  again  about  one  mile  north 
of  Warren  Plains.  About  two  miles  northwest  of  Warren  Plains  is 
another  outcrop  of  gray  granite,  which  has  been  used  for  making  mill 
stones,  and  for  other  purposes. 

In  Wilson  county,  a  few  miles  south  of  Wilson,  on  the  Wilmington 
and  Wei  don  railroad,  and  on  Moccasin  river,  are  considerable  beds  of 
coarse,  red,  feldspathic  granite,  which  splits  readily,  takes  a  beautiful 
polish,  and  closely  resembles  the  red  Scotch  granite.  Granite  deposits 
of  quite  similar  character  are  to  be  found  along  the  line  of  the  Sea- 
board Air  L,ine  railroad  in  Anson  and  Richmond  counties.  In  Wil- 
son county,  it  should  be  mentioned  also  that  on  the  Wilmington  and 
Wei  don  railroad,  two  and  a-half  miles  above  Toisnot,  a  medium  to 
coarse  grained  granite  of  dark  gray  color  occurs  in  considerable 
quantities. 

In  the  Piedmont  Granite  belt,  building  stone  of  excellent  quality 
occurs  in  great  variety,  and  is  widely  distributed.  The  two  more 
important  regions  where  active  quarrying  has  been  in  progress  during 


11 6  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

the  past  few  years  are  in  tiie  Dunn's  Mountain  region,  in  Rowan  county, 
and  about  Mooresville,  in  Iredell  county.  The  more  important  granite 
quarries  and  deposits  of  Rowan  county  lie  along  the  line  of  Dunn's 
mountain  ridge,  which  extends  in  the  northeast  and  southwest  course 
for  a  distance  of  about  twenty  miles,  in  the  eastern  portion  of  the 
county  and  closely  parallel  to  the  main  line  of  the  Southern  railway. 
The  stone  here  outcrops  in  broad  exposures  of  several  acres  extent  and 
has  been  quarried  in  a  dozen  or  more  places,  at  all  of  which  there 
are  large  outcrops  capable  of  furnishing  immense  quantities  of  stone 
without  stripping.  With  the  exception  of  Dunn's  mountain  proper 
all  the  stone  of  this  great '  'boss' '  is  of  medium  fine  grain  and  light-gray 
speckled,  with  occasional  small  crystals  of  magnetite  and  pink 
feldspar,  the  latter  in  places  becoming  so  abundant  as  to  give  a 
uniformly,  warm  pinkish  tint,  as  at  the  Kirk  mountain  quarry,  and 
Dunn's  mountain  proper.  Stone  from  this  latter  place  was  used  in 
building  the  Federal  Post  Office,  at  Raleigh.  This  is  an  exceedingly 
valuable  and  extensive  granite  area  and  is  destined  to  be,  in  the  near 
future,  worked  on  a  large  scale. 

The  more  important  of  the  quarries  of  this  region  are  those  of 
the  Pink  Granite  Company;  the  Hambley  quarry;  the  Stone  Mountain 
Granite  Company's  quarry,  and  the  Kirk  Mountain  Granite  Com. 
pany's  quarry,  all  four  or  five  miles  east  of  Salisbury  and  tapped  by 
the  Yadkin  railroad.  And  the  Wyatt  quarry  several  miles  south- 
west of  this  point. 

In  the  neighborhood  of  Mooresville,  three  quarries  have  been 
opened  up  during  the  past  two  years,  two  for  monumental  stones,  and 
one  that  has  been  worked  to  some  extent  for  building  material.  The 
stone  is  fine  grained  biotite  granite,  for  the  most  part  containing  little 
or  no  injurious  material.  Handsome  monuments  made  from  this 
stone  are  to  be  seen  in  the  cemeteries  at  Raleigh,  Charlotte  and  a 
number  of  other  places.  The  three  more  important  deposits  are 
those  at  the  quarry  of  the  Charlotte  Granite  Co.,  about  one  mile 
south  of  Mooresville;  the  J.  N.  Breed  quarry,  one  and  a-half  miles 
southwest  of  Mooresville,  and  the  Biddell  quarry,  three  miles  east  of 
Mooresville. 

Excellent  granite  is  also  to  be  found  in  Davidson,  Davie,  Cabar- 
rus and  Alamance  counties.  In  Davie  county  there  is  an  exceed- 
ingly unique  and  beautiful  stone  which  has  been  called  "Orbicular 
granite"  or  Augite,  occurring  at  Coolomee. 

The  Mt.  Airy  granite  quarry  in  Surry  county  is  the  best  known 
and  the  most  extensively  worked  at  the  present  time.  The  stone  is 
nearly  white  granite  of  uniform  grain  and  texture,  and  free  from  in- 


'4.?' 


Public  Roads.  117 


jurious  material.  It  works  easily  in  three  tracks,  and  is  so  located 
as  to  be  entirely  free  from  quarry  water.  The  stone  is  exposed  over 
an  area  of  more  than  fortj^  acres,  so  that  no  stripping  is  necessary  in 
quarrying  operations.  The  quarry  equipment  is  extensive  and  com- 
plete in  every  direction.  Operations  have  been  carried  on  during  the 
past  several  years  on  a  large  scale  by  the  Mt.  Airj'-  Granite  Com- 
pany. 

Stone  Mountain  on  the  line  of  the  Blue  Ridge  in  the  northern 
part  of  Wilkes  county  is  an  enormous  massof  gra},^  granite,  which  has 
recently  been  purchased  by  a  new  company,  which  purposes  to  con- 
struct a  railroad  to  that  point  and  quarry  the  stone  on  an  extensive 
scale.  The  color  and  texture  are  quite  uniform  and  the  stone 
appears  to  be  free  from  injurious  materials,  and  will  doubtless  make 
an  excellent  material  for  architectural  purposes. 


PUBLIC  ROADS. 


The  question  of  good  roads  has  occupied  the  attention  of  the 
people  of  the  State  for  about  ten  years,  but  has  only  recently  taken 
sufficient  hold  upon  the  public  mind  as  to  show  itself  in  good  works. 
The  question  is  of  vital  importance  to  the  farmer  and  trucker,  and 
indeed  to  every  industry.  Ample  provision  is  now  made  by  law,  so 
that  any  county  or  township  maj^  begin  the  permanent  improvement 
of  its  roads.  In  addition  there  are  many  special  acts  of  the  last  few 
sessions  of  the  Legislature  for  separate  counties.  These  vary  in  their 
details,  but  in  nearly  every  case  they  retain  in  part  the  requirement 
that  able-bodied  citizens  shall  be  liable  for  labor  on  the  public  roads 
for  a  limited  number  of  days,  and  with  this  they  combine  provision 
for  a  varying  rate  of  taxation  for  road  purposes.  In  a  few  of  the 
counties  the  money  necessary  for  the  new  road  work  is  paid  out  of  the 
general  county  fund.  In  a  few  cases  the  old  labor  system  has  been 
abolished  entirely,  and  the  roads  are  being  worked  bj''  taxation  alone. 
In  nearly  all  of  the  counties  convict  labor  is  employed  in  the  road 
improvement,  and  in  the  majority  of  cases  a  limited  amount  of 
improved  machinery  and  implements  have  been  purchased  and  are 
being  used  in  the  work.  The  construction  of  stone  roads  has  been 
undertaken  in  Mecklenburg,  Wake,  Alamance,  Cabarrus,  and  to  a 
lesser  extent  in  Forsyth,  Rowan  and  Durham  counties.  Buncombe 
has  purchased  a  complete  outfit  of  machinery,  and  has  begun  to 
macadamize.     The  work  in  other  counties  has  thus  far  been  limited 


ii8  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

largely  to  the  improvement  of  earth  roads  by  grading,  draining,  and 
in  some  cases  changing  the  location  of  the  old  roads. 

In  Mecklenburg  county  the  work  has  now  been  in  progress  for 
some  years;  during  which  time  nearly  forty  miles  of  roads  have  been 
graded  and  drained,  and  nearly  as  many  miles  have  been  macadam- 
ized. The  general  plan  adopted,  and  which  has  been  adhered  to,  was 
to  start  at  the  city  limits  of  the  county-seat  and  to  grade  and  macad- 
amize all  of  the  important  public  roads  from  this  point  out  tov/ard  the 
township  and  the  county  limits.  These  roads  have  a  width  of  forty 
feet  for  the  first  two  miles  from  the  city  limits,  and  beyond  this  point 
a  width  of  thirty-six  feet.  They  have  a  maximum  grade  of  four  feet 
in  one  hundred.  For  cross  drains  sewer  pipes  are  used  in  all  cases 
where  practicable,  and  strong  wooden  bridges  with  stone  piers  have 
been  put  in  wherever  needed.  The  average  cost  of  these  roads, 
including  the  macadamizing  and  grading,  is  about  $2,000  per  mile. 
The  average  number  of  convicts  employed  is  about  eighty,  and  the 
average  cost  of  this  labor  per  convict,  including  their  food,  clothes, 
medical  attention  and  guarding,  is  from  twenty  to  twent3'-two  cents 
per  day.  In  charge  of  the  work  is  one  superintendent  and  one 
engineer  (part  of  the  time)  and  six  guards.  The  rate  of  taxation  in 
the  county  has  been  eighteen  cents  on  the  $100  worth  of  property, 
and  the  entire  amount  raised  in  this  way  for  the  support  of  the  convict 
force  in  road-improvement  work  during  the  past  year  was  about 
$18,000.  In  addition  to  this,  each  township  levies  a  tax  varying  from 
seven  to  fifteen  cents  on  each  $100  worth  of  property. 

In  Wake  county,  Raleigh  township  has  been  working  its  roads  by 
taxation  and  labor  during  the  past  six  years.  It  has  a  steam-roller, 
road  machine,  crusher,  spreading  carts,  and  a  complete  list  of  smaller 
implements  for  road  work.  The  number  of  convicts  employed  varies 
from  fifty  to  sixty,  and  the  average  cost  per  convict  per  day,  includ- 
ing food,  clothes,  medical  attendance  and  guarding,  is  about  twenty 
and  one-half  cents.  All  the  county  prisoners  whose  terms  are  less 
than  ten  years  can  be  used  in  this  v/ork.  Convicts  do  every  kind  of 
the  work  except  the  most  difficult  part  of  the  bridge  construction- 
Twenty-eight  miles  of  road  have  been  graded  and  eighteen  miles 
have  been  macadamized,  the  work  having  been  divided  betvv'een  the 
principal  roads  in  the  township,  starting  from  Raleigh.  By  special 
law  the  work  has  been  extended  beyond  the  township  boundary. 
Excellent  truss  bridges  are  being  built  across  all  the  streams  and 
culverts. 

In  Alamance,  Cabarrus  and  Rowan  counties  a  limited  amount  of 
macadamizing  has  been  done,  and  many   miles  of  earth  roads  have 


SHELL    ROAD —  WILMINGTON. 


Public  Roads.  119 


been  greatly  improved  by  grading  and  draining.     These  counties  use 
their  convicts  in  working  their  important  roads. 

Buncombe  county,  out  of  its  general  tax  fund,  maintained  an  aver- 
age force  of  about  sixty  convicts  at  work  on  its  more  important  public 
roads,  for  several  years,  at  an  average  cost  of  about  thirty-five  cents 
per  day  per  convict.  For  general  road  work,  the  old  system  still 
prevails.  Many  miles  of  earth  roads  have  been  regraded  and  drained 
and  in  places  relocated.  A  complete  outfit  for  macadamizing  work 
has  been  purchased,  and  a  limited  amount  of  work  has  been  done. 

In  the  other  counties  mentioned  above  the  question  is  now  being 
agitated,  and  in  the  near  future  they  will  doubtless  begin  to  con- 
struct stone  roads.  In  all  of  them  the  earth  roads  have  been 
improved,  to  a  greater  or  less  extent,  by  grading,  draining  and 
changes  in  the  location  of  roads  These  improvements  are  increasing 
the  popularity  of  the  movement.  One  of  the  most  encouraging  feat- 
ures of  the  movement  has  been  its  growth  in  several  of  the  eastern 
counties  during  the  past  few  years. 

Several  years  ago  the  strongest  opposition  to  the  movement  came 
from  these  eastern  counties,  where  the  surface  of  the  country  is  level, 
and  where  the  stone  for  macadamizing  purposes  is  scarce  or  entirely 
absent;  but  during  1893,  and  years  following,  Wayne,  Lenoir,  Edge- 
combe and  New  Hanover  counties,  adopted  plans  for  improving  their 
earth  roads  and  have  pushed  the  work  forward  with  vigor  and  success, 
accomplishing  results  of  decided  benefit  at  a  small  expenditure  of 
money.  This  has  resulted  in  arousing  considerable  interest  in  the 
subject  in  a  number  of  adjoining  counties. 

In  New  Hanover,  by  the  expenditure  of  a  small  sum  annually,  a 
limited  amount  of  grading  and  draining  is  being  accomplished,  and 
the  sandy  road  surface  is  being  improved  by  the  admixture  of  clay, 
and,  it  is  believed  that  in  the  near  future  these  roads  will  be  still 
further  improved  by  being  covered  either  with  crushed  stone  or  with 
oyster  shells  from  the  adjoining  sounds.  A  fev/  years  ago  a  shell 
road  was  constructed  in  this  county  for  a  distance  of  eight  miles 
(from  Wilmington  to  Wrightsvilie),  Vx^hich  since  that  time  has  been 
maintained  in  excellent  condition  by  the  employment  of  one  man, 
who,  with  a  cart  and  horse,  drops  small  quantities  of  oyster  shells  at 
such  points  as  shov/  indications  of  wear.  This  road  now  serves  as 
an  object  lesson  in  showing  the  ease  with  which  an  excellent  road 
can  be  constructed  in  this  region  and  the  small  expenditure  necessary 
for  keeping  it  in  repair. 

In  Kdgecombe  county,  as  is  the  case  also  in  New  Hanover,  no 
convicts    are    at   present  employed  on   the  public  roads,    but    it   is 


I20  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

expected  that  they  will  be  employed  in  both  counties  at  an  early  date. 
A  tax  of  forty-five  cents  on  the  poll  is  assessed  for  road  purposes. 
Machinery  is  used,  including  a  road  machine,  scrapers  and  plows,  and 
a  horse  roller;  ordinary  labor  is  employed  at  a  cost  of  about  sixty-five 
cents  per  day.  The  policy  adopted  in  this  county  has  been  to  first 
improve  the  particularly  bad  places  in  the  roads  in  differant  parts  of 
the  county,  and  in  this  way,  the  result  has  been  to  give  general  satis- 
faction with  the  work  in  many  parts  of  the  county,  because  the  bene- 
ficial eff"ects  of  the  work  became  apparent  at  once  in  as  many 
places. 

In  Wayne  and  I^enoir  counties,  the  plan  for  improving  the  more 
important  earth  roads  is  somewhat  similar  to  that  in  Edgecombe,  but 
the  tax  fund  is  smaller  in  both,  and  convict  labor  is  used.  The 
trucking  industry  in  these  latter  counties  is  one  growing  in 
importance,  and  this  has  greatly  increased  the  demand  for  road 
surface  over  which  large  loads  can  be  hauled  at  a  rapid  rate  without 
serious  jolting.  This  demand  will  doubtless  prove  a  great  stimulus 
in  the  permanent  improvement  of  public  roads  and  will  ultimately 
result  in  their  being  macadamized,  although  the  material  for  the 
purpose  will  have  to  be  brought  from  the  adjoining  counties.  At 
Newbern,  in  Craven  county,  so  great  has  been  the  demand  for  better 
roads  that  recently  a  considerable  sum  was  subscribed  by  private 
individuals  for  macadamizing  a  road  leading  from  the  town  through 
one  of  the  important  trucking  districts,  and  this  road,  in  the  building 
of  which  the  county  co-operated  with  private  individuals,  is  now 
being  constructed.  A  beautiful  and  serviceable  macadam  road  was 
built  a  few  j^ears  since  from  the  town  to  the  Federal  cemetery  by  the 
United  States  Government,  the  stone  used  being  a  shell  limestone, 
from  Trent  river. 

In  Guilford  county,  the  two  townships  which  join  at  the  county 
seat  (Greensboro)  have  voted  a  tax  for  the  improvement  of  the  earth 
roads,  and  have  pushed  this  work  along  during  the  past  few  years 
with  the  result  of  greatly  improving  them.  Both  townships  have 
purchased  road  machines  and  other  implements. 

In  Iredell  county  a  small  tax  on  property  and  on  the  poll  has  been 
levied,  and  a  road  fund  has  been  raised.  During  the  past  few  years 
the  county  contacts  have  been  used  on  the  roads,  and  they  have 
graded  many  miles  of  road,  starting  from  the  county  seat  and 
extending  out  into  the  county  on  each  important  road. 

In  Forsyth  count}',  after  improving  the  earth  roads  in  the 
immediate  vicinity  of  the  county  seat  (Winston-Salem),  the  convicts, 
fifty  to  sixty  in  number,  have  been  transferred  to  various  parts  of  the 


— -«S^'X*t-=' 


MACADAM    ROADS    AND    BRIDGES  — WAKE    COUNTY. 


Road  Materials.  121 


county,  and  have  been  employed  in  improving  the  worst  places  on 
the  important  public  roads.  The  work  is  supported  by  a  small  tax 
levy  on  both  the  poll  and  property. 

ROAD  MATERIALS. 

In  the  central  and  western  counties  of  the  State  there  is  usually 
an  abundance  of  stone  for  use  in  macadamizing  roads.  The  larger 
part  of  this  stone  is  granitic  in  character,  and  some  of  this  is  rather 
soft  for  use  in  surfacing  roads;  but  at  intervals  in  all  these  counties 
harder  and  tougher  material  can  be  found  in  the  form  of  hornblende, 
granite,  diorite  trap  and  other  eruptive  rocks,  and  where  these  occur 
along  the  lines  of  railroad,  they  can  be  crushed  and  transported  to 
the  points  where  the  macadam  is  needed,  in  many  cases  at  a  small 
cost.  In  the  eastern  counties  good  stone  for  macadam  is  scarce  or 
entirely  wanting;  but  in  quite  a  number  of  these  counties,  limestone 
or  shell  rock  can  be  obtained  at  intervals,  and  the  fact  that  they  make 
a  serviceable  road  has  been  demonstrated  by  the  experiment  at 
Newbern,  and  on  the  streets  of  Goldsboro,  where  a  considerable 
amount  of  macadamizing  was  done  some  three  years  ago  with  shell 
rock  from  Castle  Hayne  on  the  Atlantic  Coast  L^ine  railroad.  In 
the  latter  case  the  shell  rock  was  laid  down  in  thickness  only  three 
or  four  inches.  The  surface  was  packed  by  the  ordinary  travel,  and 
it  has  now  withstood  the  constant  wear  of  the  vehicles  on  the  main 
streets  of  Goldsboro  during  the  past  three  years  without  the  need  of 
any  repairs. 

In  the  counties  bordering  the  coast,  excellent  roads  can  be  built 
and  maintained  by  the  use  of  oyster  and  other  shells,  as  has  been 
shown  in  the  case  of  the  shell  road  between  Wilmington  and  Wrights- 
ville.  In  quite  a  number  of  counties,  limited  amounts  of  gravel  can 
be  obtained  for  use  on  the  roads,  but  this  is  usually  inferior  in 
quality.  Along  many  of  the  streams,  however,  where  crossed  by 
public  roads,  a  sufficient  supply  of  gravel  and  coarse  sand  can  often 
be  found,  which  will  very  greatly  improve  the  surface  when  spread 
over  it,  and  again  in  the  eastern  counties,  where  the  sand  prevails  at 
intervals,  along  the  roadside  can  frequently  be  found  deposits  of  clay 
which,  when  mixed  with  sand,  improve  the  road  surface  con- 
siderably. In  a  few  places  gravel  and  sand  deposits  are  found  which 
have  a  sufiScient  amount  of  cla}^  and  oxide  of  iron  intermixed  to 
cement  the  mass  into  a  hard  surface. 


122  North  CaroIvIna  and  its  Resources. 


WATERS  AND  WATERWAYS. 


RIVER5. 

The  river  system  of  the  State  is  determined  by  its  peculiar 
topography.  Its  rainfall  is  copious,  the  annual  average  for  the  whole 
State  being  about  fifty-three  inches,  and  is  the  fountain  of  numerous 
streams  in  all  sections  of  the  State;  and,  owing  to  the  fact  that  the 
rivers  in  the  Piedmont  Plateau  and  Mountain  regions  have  their 
origin  among  the  highest  mountains  and  on  the  highest  table-lands 
on  the  eastern  side  of  the  American  continent,  these  rivers,  in  their 
descent  towards  the  sea,  develop  an  immense  amount  of  mechanical 
power.  Those  in  the  Coastal  Plain  region,  with  equal  abundance  of 
rain  as  a  source  of  water  supply,  but  with  more  gentle  descent 
towards  the  ocean,  offer  facilities  for  navigation  not  possessed  by  the 
rivers  of  the  former  regions,  and  towards  their  mouths  expand  into 
wide  estuaries,  connecting  with  the  sounds  and  bays  which  provide  the 
ports  and  harbors  available  for  exterior  commerce,  foreign  and 
domestic. 

Topographical  causes  also  largely  influence  the  course  and 
direction  of  these  rivers.  Those  rising  west  of  the  Blue  Ridge  are 
diverted  by  that  barrier  towards  the  north  and  northwest  and  towards 
the  Valley  of  the  Mississippi  with  ultimate  destination  to  the  waters 
of  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  Those  rising  east  or  south  of  the  Blue 
Ridge,  or  the  upper  part  of  the  Piedmont  region,  after  a  general 
direction  towards  the  east,  ultimately  pass  out  of  the  State  in  the 
middle  portion  of  the  Piedmont  Plateau,  and  find  their  way  to  the 
Atlantic  ocean  through  the  State  of  South  Carolina;  while  those 
having  their  sources  in  the  belt  on  the  eastern  extension  of  the  same 
region  find  an  entrance  into  the  tide-waters  of  the  Coastal  Plain 
region  of  this  State. 

The  general  river  system  is  naturally  divided  into  three  su.jordi- 
nate  ones  entirely  distinct  from  each  other.  The  most  characteristic 
of  these  is  that  originating  on  the  Blue  Ridge,  or  on  its  western 
slope,  the  superior  elevation  of  the  high  culminating  masses  of  the 
great  Appalachian  chain  throwing  off  the  rivers  to  all  the  points  of 
the  compass.  From  this  culminating  height  the  Tennessee  river, 
with  its  length  of  twelve  hundred  miles,  draws  its  chief  supply;  and 
the  Ohio,  with  equal  length,  from  the  same  source  draws  one  of  its 
chief  upper  tributaries.  The  volume  of  water  poured  out  from  this 
mountain  reservoir  is  very  great.     Thus,  the  most  western  of  them. 


ON    FRENCH    BROAD    RIVER  —  SOUTHERN    RAILWAY. 


RiVBRS.  123 

the  Hiwassee,  with  its  tributaries,  the  Valle)^  and  Nottely  rivers, 
draining  two  counties,  Clay  and  Cherokee,  an  area  of  about  six 
hundred  and  fifty  square  miles,  passes  into  southtastern  Tennessee,  a 
powerful  stream  with  a  breadth  of  one  hundred  yards,  with  a  descent, 
from  its  sources  to  the  State  line,  a  distance  of  about  seventy-five 
miles,  of  firom  eight  hundred  to  nine  hundred  feet,  providing  great 
and  continuous  water-power.  The  Tennessee  river,  united  with  the 
Cheoah,  the  Nantahala,  the  Ocono  Luftee  and  the  Tuckaseegee,  all 
large  streams  with  a  width  of  from  fifty  to  one  hundred  and  fifty 
yards,  with  united  volume  and  resistless  power,  cuts  its  way  through 
the  Smoky  mountains  at  the  point  of  their  greatest  elevation,  and 
constitutes  one  of  the  principal  branches  of  the  greater  Tennessee, 
which  unites  with  the  Ohio  a  short  distance  above  the  junction  of 
that  river  with  the  Mississippi.  The  united  drainage  of  the  Tennessee 
in  North  Carolina  is  about  one  thousand  five  hundred  square  miles, 
with  a  united  length  in  this  State  of  three  hundred  miles.  The  fall 
of  each  of  these,  from  their  sources  to  the  State  line,  is  about  one 
thousand  feet. 

The  Pigeon  river  drains  a  separate  area  of  about  five  hundred 
miles.  It  has  a  course  of  about  seventy  miles  in  North  Carolina, 
with  a  width  of  about  eighty  yards,  and  a  fall,  from  its  upper  valleys 
to  the  borders  of  Tennessee,  of  about  one  thousand  feet. 

The  French  Broad  river  is  nearly  as  large  as  the  Tennessee,  and 
is  fed  by  several  large  affluents,  such  as  Davidson's  river.  Little  river, 
North  river,  Swannanoa,  Ivy  and  Laurel,  and  drains  a  territory  of 
about  one  thousand  four  hundred  square  miles.  The  fall  from  the 
mouth  of  Little  river,  in  Transylvania  county,  to  the  State  of  Tennes- 
see, is  about  one  thousand  feet. 

The  Nolechucky,  formed  by  the  union  of  Canej^  river  and  North 
and  South  Toe,  unites  with  the  French  Broad  after  that  stream  has 
entered  the  State  of  Tennessee,  becoming  a  broad  and  deep  stream  in 
size  little  inferior  to  the  river  with  which  it  joins  its  waters.  Its 
drainage  is  about  six  hundred  square  miles,  and  its  fall  is  about  one 
thousand  five  hundred  feet. 

Elk  and  Watauga  rivers  are  smaller  streams,  with  a  course  of 
only  twenty  miles  or  more  in  this  State,  but  chief  tributaries  of  the 
important  Holston  river  in  Tennessee. 

The  New  river,  alone  of  all  the  rivers  of  the  State,  flov/s  north, 
or  northwest  into  Virginia,  and  uniting  its  waters  with  those  of  the 
Kanawha,  empties  at  length  into  the  Ohio.  Its  aggregate  length  in 
North  Carolina  is  nearly  one  hundred  miles,  and  its  fall  about  seven 
hundred  feet,  and  its  drainage  surface  within  the  State  is  about  seven 


North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


hundred  square  miles.  This  is  one  of  the  larger  mountain  rivers,  of 
the  size  of  the  Hiwassee,  Tennessee  and  French  Broad. 

Of  the  characteristic  features  of  these  mountain  rivers,  Prof.  W. 
C.  Kerr,  former  State  Geologist,  has  remarked:  "  There  is  a  common 
feature  of  these  streams  that  is  worthy  of  remark,  viz:  that  through  a 
very  considerable  part  of  their  tortuous  course  across  the  plateau 
from  the  Blue  Ridge  to  the  Smoky,  the  amount  of  their  fall  per  mile 
is  frequently  quite  small,  not  greater  than  that  east  of  the  mountains, 
the  greater  part  of  their  descent  occurring  within  the  gorges  through 
which  they  force  their  way  across  the  Smoky  chain,  so  that  many  of 
them  present  navigable  channels  of  considerable  extent.  The  French 
Broad,  for  example,  has  a  fall  of  less  than  three  feet  to  the  mile  from 
Brevard  to  Asheville,  a  distance  by  river  of  forty  miles."  And  he 
says:  "The  dominancy  of  the  western  chain  of  mountains  frequently 
asserts  itself  in  a  very  striking  manner,  notwithstanding  it  is  obliged, 
sooner  or  later,  to  give  passage  to  all  the  streams  of  the  plateau.  The 
French  Broad  is  a  striking  illustration,  as  well  as  North  Toe  and  New 
river  (South  Fork),  all  these  being  thrown  off  by  the  steeper  slopes 
and  more  rapid  torrents  from  the  western  escarpments  and  hurled 
against  the  very  crests  of  the  Blue  Ridge,  along  which  they  wander 
lingeringly  in  slow  and  tortuous  course,  as  if  anxiously  seeking  the 
shorter  passage  to  the  sea;  but  finally  turn,  as  if  in  desperation,  and 
plunge  with  roar  and  foam  against  the  frowning  ramparts  (of  the 
Smokies)  which  bar  their  way  to  the  west." 

There  is,  on  the  south  and  a  portion  of  the  east  slope  of  the  Blue 
Ridge,  another  system  which  has,  in  the  course  of  its  streams,  almost 
direct  outlet  into  Georgia  and  South  Carolina,  viz:  the  Chatooga  and 
Toxaway,  which  are  the  chief  head  streams  of  the  Savannah  river 
the  upper  waters  of  the  Saluda;  and  the  Green  and  First  and  Second 
Broad,  which  unite  to  form  the  Broad  river  of  South  Carolina,  unit- 
ing with  the  Saluda  at  Columbia  to  form  the  Congaree. 

Another  and  more  important  system  is  that  which  drains  the 
northern  half  of  the  Piedmont  Plateau,  and  which  is  represented  by 
the  Catawba  and  Yadkin  rivers.  These  streams  have  a  general  course 
a  little  north  of  east  until  they  leave  the  Mountain  region,  when  they 
turn  at  right  angles  to  their  former  direction,  and  pursue  nearly  a 
southerly  course,  and  pass  into  Soulli  Carolina  broad  and  placid 
streams,  the  Yadkin  then  taking  the  name  of  the  Pee  Dee  and  the 
Catawba  that  of  the  Wateree.  Both  of  these  streams  receive  their 
chief  affluents  from  the  north  side,  and  many  of  these  are  large 
streams.  Into  the  Catawba  flow  North  Fork,  Linville,  John's  river, 
and  many  others  of  less  volume;   while   the   Yadkin   quickly   gains 


ON    ROANOKE    RIVER       V^ELDON. 


Rivers.  125 

consequence  by  the  admission  of  Reddy's,  Roaring,  Elkin,  Mitchell's 
Fisher's,  Ararat  and  L,ittle  Yadkin.  The  combined  drainage  of 
these  two  great  streams  is  more  than  two  thousand  five  hundred 
square  miles. 

The  Yadkin  receives  in  its  lower  course  a  larger  number  of 
affluents  than  the  parallel  stream,  the  Catawba,  has  a  greater  fall  in 
its  course,  and  drains  a  wider  and  more  continuous  valley.  Both  are 
navigable  in  their  upper  courses,  interruptions  by  shoals  being 
infrequent  and  readily  surmounted,  works  to  that  effect  having 
been  begun  nearly  three-quarters  of  a  century  ago,  but  never  per- 
fected. The  course  of  the  Yadkin  presents  remarkable  features  of 
fluctuation  in  placidity,  in  width,  and  in  contrast  of  characteristics, 
its  upper  course,  almost  from  its  source,  having  a  very  slight  fall, 
then  interrupted  by  Bean's  Shoals  for  a  mile  or  more,  where  it 
expands  to  the  breadth  of  two  hundred  yards,  then  resuming  its 
gentle  course,  attaining  a  width  of  several  hundred  yards,  with  its 
flow  interrupted  by  numerous  willow-covered  islands,  until,  as  it 
approaches  the  gorge  formed  by  the  encroachment  of  the  Uwharrie 
mountains  upon  its  channel,  it  suddenly  plunges,  a  bold  cataract  of 
ten  or  twelve  feet,  into  the  head  of  the  Narrows  through  which  it 
passes  for  a  distance  of  three  miles,  compressed  into  an  inconceivably 
swift  torrent  of  a  width  of  not  more  than  sixty  feet  and  two  miles  or 
more  in  length.  Emerging  from  that,  it  at  once  expands  into  a 
channel  of  one  thousand  yards  in  breadth,  soon  loses  itself  in  the 
herbage  of  the  Grassy  Islands,  expands,  a  sea  of  verdure,  to  the 
width  of  a  mile,  again  emerges,  and  passes  on  to  the  South  Carolina 
line  through  a  channel  of  several  hundred  yards  in  breadth,  torn  by 
rocks  and  interrupted  by  numerous  islands,  many  of  them  large 
enough  for  profitable  tillage. 

Another  important  system  is  that  of  the  Dan  and  its  tributaries. 
The  Dan  is  the  largest  river  in  the  State,  measured  along  its  course 
from  its  sources  in  the  county  of  Stokes  to  its  mouth,  a  distance  of 
more  than  three  hundred  miles;  and  is  further  remarkable  as  the 
only  river  in  the  State  rising  in  the  Blue  Ridge  and  reaching  within 
the  State  the  waters  of  the  Atlantic  ocean.  It  empties  into 
Albemarle  sound,  as  the  Roanoke.  A  large  portion  of  this  river  is 
navigable;  from  its  mouth  by  steamboats  up  to  Weldon,  thence  past 
the  rapids  by  canal  to  the  smooth  waters  above  Gaston,  thence  by 
canals  past  other  similar  obstructions  to  the  borders  of  Stokes 
county,  in  which  it  has  its  rise. 

There  is  another  important  system,  having  its  origin  in  the 
Piedmont  Plateau  region,  discharging  its  waters  into  the  sounds  and 


126  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

bays  of  North  Carolina,  and  giving  to  the  people  of  the  interior  easy 
access  to  the  sea  and  to  the  advantages  of  exterior  commerce.  This 
system  includes  the  Tar,  Neuse,  Haw,  Deep,  and  Cape  Fear  rivers. 

The  Tar  river  rises  in  the  western  part  of  Granville  and  among 
the  semi-mountainous  hills  of  Person,  flows  towards  the  southeast, 
drains  most  of  the  area  of  eight  counties,  embracing  about  five  thous- 
and square  miles.  Its  fall  from  its  source  to  tidewater  is  upwards  of 
four  hundred  feet.  Its  greatest  water-power  is  demonstrated  near 
Rocky  Mount,  for  three-quarters  of  a  century  the  seat  of  one  of  the 
largest  cotton  factories  in  the  State.  It  is  navigable  to  Tarboro.  At 
Washington  it  expands  into  a  broad  estuary,  navigable  for  sea-going 
vessels,  and  thence  takes  the  name  of  Pamlico  river. 

Neuse  river  has  its  sources  in  the  hills  of  Person  and  Orange 
counties.  It  becomes  navigable  for  steamboats  at  Smithfield,  in  John- 
ston county,  all  obstructions  having  been  removed  to  that  point.  At 
Newbern  it  is  two  miles  wide,  and  it  is  there  joined  by  the  Trent  river, 
and  the  united  streams  soon  widen  to  a  width  of  eight  miles,  emptying 
at  length  into  Pamlico  Sound.  It  is  navigable  for  vessels  drawing  four- 
teen feet  of  water  as  far  up  as  Newbern.  Its  length  is  about  two  hundred 
miles,  and  it  drains  an  area  of  about  five  thousand  square  miles. 

Haw  river  and  Deep  river,  which  unite  at  Haywood,  in  Chatham 
county,  to  form  the  Cape  Fear,  rise,  the  first  in  Rockingham,  the 
other  in  Guilford  county,  and  are  important  from  the  great  water- 
power  provided  by  them,  utilized  in  Alamance  and  Randolph  counties 
by  numerous  cotton  mills,  upon  which  streams  there  is  a  greater  con- 
centration of  manufacturing  industry  than  elsewhere  in  the  State. 
The  Cape  Fear  river,  formed  by  the  junction  of  these  streams, 
becomes  navigable  at  Fayetteville  to  Wilmington,  a  distance  by 
water  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  miles,  giving  an  interior  navigation 
not  equalled  by  any  other  river  in  the  State.  From  Wilmington  the 
Cape  Fear  makes  directly  into  the  Atlantic  ocean,  and  ships  drawing 
twenty -two  feet  pass  its  bar  just  below  Southport.  It  became  a  verj' 
important  avenue  from  the  earliest  settlement  of  the  country  for  the 
ingoing  and  outgoing  trade  of  the  interior,  and  was  early  made  the 
object  of  improvement  by  an  incorporated  company  organized  in  1795; 
thence  by  the  State,  which,  at  different  times,  spent  nearly  a  million 
dollars  in  attempts  to  improve  the  upper  waters  above  Fayetteville; 
and  in  late  years  by  the  General  Government,  which  has  taken  in 
charge  the  maintenance  of  continuous  navigation  between  Fayette- 
ville and  Wilmington.  The  aggregate  length  of  the  Cape  Fear  and 
its  tributaries  is  about  five  hundred  miles,  and  its  area  of  drainage 
not  less  than  eight  thousand  square  miles. 


ON    LINVILLE    RIVER. 


I/AKES.  127 

Among  the  larger  tributaries  to  the  Cape  Fear  are  the  Black  and 
North  East  rivers,  both  large,  navigable  streams. 

In  the  south-east  corner  of  the  State  are  Lumber  and  Waccamaw 
rivers,  both  bold,  navigable  streams,  entering  South  Carolina, 
uniting  with  the  Pee  Dee,  and  emptying  into  Winj^ah  Bay  near 
Georgetown. 

In  the  northeastern  section  are  numerous  broad,  navigable 
rivers,  draining  an  area  of  about  two  thousand  five  hundred  square 
miles,  and  emptying  into  Albemarle  Sound.  Of  these  the  Chowan  is 
the  largest.  It  is  joined  by  the  Meherrin,  the  two  having  a  united 
length  of  about  one  hundred  miles,  and  giving  practicable  navigation 
into  Virginia. 

The  chief  of  the  other  streams  are  Perquimans,  lyittle  river, 
Pasquotank  and  North  river,  all  navigable,  with  little  fall,  and 
therefore  unavailable  as  water-power. 

The  Alligator  and  the  Scuppernong  are  broad,  deep  but  short 
streams,  emerging  from  the  great  swamps  of  Hyde  and  Tyrrell 
counties.      They  also  empty  into  Albemarle  sound. 

Pungo,  Bay  river,  and,  between  the  Neuse  and  Cape  Fear, 
several  other  short  tidal  streams,  such  as  Newport  and  North  river  in 
Carteret  county.  White  Oak  river  in  Jones  county,  New  river  in 
Onslow  county,  and  lyockwood's  Folly  and  Shallotte  in  Brunswick 
county,  contribute  their  testimony  to  the  extent  of  the  water  area  of 
the  coast  region,  and  to  the  evidences  of  a  bountiful,  but  not 
excessive,  annual  rainfall. 

The  total  aggregate  in  the  length  of  the  rivers  in  North  Carolina 
— not  including  innumerable  small  rivers  and  creeks — is  about  three 
thousand  three  hundred  miles,  and  their  total  fall  is  about  thirty- 
three  thousand  feet,  or  an  average  of  ten  feet  to  the  mile. 

The  water  powers  are  treated  under  a  separate  and  subsequent 
head. 

LAKES. 

The  lakes  naturally  comprised  in  the  water  system  of  the  State, 
compose  a  very  small  area  in  the  water  surface.  They  are  found  only 
in  the  Coastal  Plain  region  and  are  comparatively  of  small  size.  In 
the  Mountain  region,  evidently,  in  a  former  geological  era,  they  had 
filled  the  areas  now  occupied  by  numerous  valleys;  but  the  barriers 
which  once  confined  them  long  since  gave  way,  and  the  tumultuous 
streams  which  now  drain  those  valleys  give  no  present  token  of  their 
former  languid  life.  In  the  Piedmont  Plateau  region  there  are  now 
no  lakes,  nor  any  evidence  that  they  had  ever  existed.  In  the  Coastal 
Plain  region  are  to  be  found  fifteen  in  all,  of  various  dimensions.    The 


128  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

largest  is  Mattamuskeet,  in  Hyde  county,  with  an  area  of  nearly  one 
hundred  miles,  of  elliptical  form,  and  in  dimensions  about  fifteen 
miles  in  length  and  from  five  to  seven  in  breadth.  This,  and  Lake 
Phelps,  Alligator  lake  and  Pungo  lake,  are  all  situated  in  the  great 
swamp  between  Albemarle  and  Pamlico  Sounds;  and  all  of  them  are 
of  smaller  area  than  Mattamuskeet.  In  the  White  Oak  Swamp,  in 
Jones  and  Carteret,  is  a  group  of  small  oval  lakes,  a  few  miles  apart, 
and  united  with  each  other  naturally  or  artificially.  The  largest  of 
these,  Northwest  lake,  has  an  area  of  ten  or  twelve  miles.  In  the 
Gum  Swamp,  in  Bladen  and  Columbus  counties,  is  the  Waccamaw 
lake,  eight  miles  long  by  five  broad.  These  lakes,  being  situated  in 
the  highest  part  of  the  swamps  in  which  they  lie,  have  no  feeding 
waters,  but  most,  if  not  all  of  them,  discharge  full  and  exhaustless 
streams.  They  all  have  sandy  bottoms,  and  a  depth  of  from  eight  to 
ten  feet.  Most  of  them  seem  to  have  originated  in  the  ignition  dur- 
ing long  continued  dry  weather  of  the  peaty  beds  which  compose  the 
body  of  the  swamps.  The  aggregate  lake  surface  of  the  State  is 
estimated  at  about  two  hundred  square  miles.    All  of  these  lakes  afford 

excellent  rod  fishing. 

SOUNDS  AND  BAYS. 

The  coast  of  North  Carolina,  for  a  distance  of  nearly  three  hun- 
dred miles,  is  separated  from  the  ocean  by  a  succession  of  long 
narrow  islands,  in  width  from  half  a  mile  to  a  mile  or  more,  compose'' 
largely  of  pure  white  sand  tossed  up  by  the  winds  into  dunes  or  hil- 
locks; occasional!}^  there  are  extensive  areas  of  marsh,  covered  with 
coarse  grass,  wild  oats  and  other  vegetation,  forming  the  pasturage  of 
the  herds  of  wild  ponies  which  abound  on  some  of  the  banks.  Through 
this  narrow  barrier  the  sea  makes  its  irruptions  to  the  sounds  within, 
forming  the  inlets  and  outlets  through  which  the  operations  of  com- 
merce are  conducted.  These  sounds  are  of  various  dimensions,  two  of 
them  being  important  inland  seas.  Of  them  all,  Pamlico  and  Albe- 
marle sounds  are  the  most  extensive,  the  former  lying  parallel  with 
the  coast,  with  a  length  of  about  seventy -five  miles  and  from  fifteen 
to  twenty-five  miles  wide;  the  other  lying  east  and  west,  with  a  length 
of  sixty  miles  and  a  breadth  of  from  five  to  fifteen  miles.  These  two 
sounds  are  connected  with  each  other  by  Croatan  sound,  four  miles 
wide  and  ten  long,  and  also  by  the  narrower  Roanoke  sound.  Curri- 
tuck sound  extends  from  Albemarle  sound  to  the  waters  of  Virginia 
through  a  shallow  channel  of  four  or  five  miles  wide.  By  a  canal  of 
a  few  miles  in  length  it  forms  a  connection  between  the  inland  waters 
of  North  Carolina  and  those  of  Virginia,  and  becomes  the  avenue  for 
the  passage  of  a  very  large  commerce.     These  larger  sounds,  all  navi- 


Sounds  and  Bays.  129 


gable  for  vessels  drawing  from  twelve  to  fifteen  feet  of  water,  besides 
being  important  for  the  carriage  of  a  great  outward  and  inward  trade, 
are  the  localities  of  the  largest  and  most  productive  fisheries  along  the 
Atlantic  coast,  abound  in  oysters  and  other  shell  fish,  and  are  the 
haunts  of  innumerable  wild  fowl  of  the  most  desirable  varieties. 

South  of  Pamlico  sound  there  is  a  continuity  of  narrower  and 
shallower  sounds  to  v/ithin  a  fevv^  miles  of  the  mouth  of  the  Cape  Fear 
river,  where  they  are  interrupted  bj-  a  narrov/  isthmus  of  sand.  These 
smaller  sounds  are  Core,  Bogue,  Stump,  Topsail,  and  others.  All  are 
connected  with  the  ocean  bj^  numerous  but  somev/hat  capricious  inlets, 
dependent  for  their  stability  upon  the  condition  of  the  ocean,  but 
in  their  caprices  offering  no  permanent  obstruction  to  naviga- 
tion. 

This  inland  water  system  is  connected  with  the  waters  of  Chesa- 
peake bay  by  the  Dismal  Swamp  and  Albemarle  and  Chesapeake 
canals,  and  with  the  connection  of  the  waters  already  made  through 
Delaware  and  New  Jersey,  can  easily  be  made  part  of  a  great  interior 
waterway  of  inestimable  value  to  the  United  States  in  the  event  of 
war  with  foreign  nations. 

The  bays  are  chiefly  enlargements  or  projections  inland  of  the 
sounds.  Under  the  head  of  Commercial  Fisheries  may  be  found  a 
more  extended  description  of  the  sounds. 

SWAflPS. 

Of  what  are  known  as  swamp  lands,  there  is  an  area  of  between 
three  thousand  and  five  thousand  square  miles.  They  lie  chiefly  in 
the  counties  bordering  upon  the  sounds  or  upon  the  ocean.  They  are 
not  alluvial  lands  or  subject  to  overflow,  but  are,  as  a  rule,  elevated 
above  the  adjacent  streams  of  which  they  are  the  sources.  Some  of 
them  are  peat  swamps,  with  an  accumulation  of  decayed  or  decaying 
vegetation  of  considerable  depth.  The  value  of  these  lands  is  indi- 
cated by  the  character  of  the  vegetation  upon  them.  The  prevalent 
growth  of  the  best  swamp  lands  is  black  gum,  cypress,  poplar,  ash 
and  maple,  and  also  a  luxuriant  growth  of  cane.  These  lands  have  for 
many  years  furnished  an  abundant  supply  of  timber  from  the  species 
of  trees  above  mentioned. 

The  largest  area  of  swamp  land  is  known  as  the  Hyde  County 
Swamp,  although  it  occupies  a  part  of  five  counties.  It  has  an  area 
of  nearly  three  thousand  square  miles.  Owing  to  elevation  above  the 
adjacent  surface,  drainage  is  easy,  and  large  bodies  of  it  have  been 
subdued  to  cultivation,  and  are  among  the  finest  farming  lands  in  the 
State,  the  chief  crop  being  corn.     The  water,  after  drainage,  is  so 


13^  North  Caroi^ina  and  its  Resources. 

near  the  surface  as  to  make  these  lands  independent  of  drought,  should 
one  occur. 

About  one  hundred  square  miles  of  the  great  Dismal  swamp  lie 
within  this  State.  Dover  swamp,  between  the  Neuse  and  Trent 
rivers,  has  an  area  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  square  miles.  In  its 
central  part  it  is  sixty  feet  above  the  sea,  and  therefore  susceptible  of 
easy  drainage.  The  other  principal  swamps  are  Holly  Shelter  and 
Angola  Bay  in  Onslow,  Duplin  and  New  Hanover  counties.  Gum 
sv^amp  in  Brunswick  and  Columbus,  and  White  marsh  and  Brown 
marsh  in  the  same  section.  All  of  them  abound  in  valuable  timbers, 
cypress,  juniper,  poplar,  maple,  oak,  &c.,  and  the  industries  of 
getting  shingles,  staves  and  other  products  of  the  forest  are  very 
actively  pursued. 

The  most  productive  farms  in  the  State  have  been  reclaimed  from 
the  borders  of  many  of  these  swamps,  and  have  proved  practically 
inexhaustible.  I^ands  in  Hyde  county,  cultivated  for  a  period  of  one 
hundred  years  continuously  in  corn,  without  the  application  of 
manure,  show  no  apparent  loss  of  fertility.  The  swamps  themselves, 
and  also  the  country  around  them,  seem  conducive  rather  than 
prejudicial  to  health — the  timber-getters,  engaged  in  the  very  depths 
of  mire  and  water,  appearing  to  be  peculiarly  exempt  from  malarial 
poison,  if,  in  fact,  it  exists  in  the  swamps. 


In  the  construction  of  canals.  North  Carolina  claims  a  proud 
pre-eminence;  for  as  far  back  as  lygojwas  authorized  by  the  Legislature 
of  the  State  the  construction  of  the  Dismal  Swamp  canal,  connecting 
the  waters  of  Pasquotank  river  (North  Carolina)  with  those  of  Eliza- 
beth river  (Virginia).  This  was  required  to  be  done  by  private 
subscription,  and  it  was  so  done;  and  thus  was  completed  the  exist- 
ing Dismal  Swamp  canal,  undertaken  thirty-five  years  before  the  great 
Brie  canal  was  completed,  and  eighteen  years  before  the  Pioneer 
canal  of  New  England — the  Middlesex — was  opened  for  use.  This 
canal  served  its  purpose  usefully  for  nearly  a  century.  Recently  it 
has  been  sold,  perhaps  for  other  uses,  because  other  means  of  inter- 
communication, swifter  and  more  capacious,  have  largely  superseded 
it. 

In  addition  to  this,  early  steps  were  taken  to  improve  the  navi- 
gation of  several  large  streams  in  this  State,  large  volumes  of  water 
in  their  lower  courses  finding  entrance  into  good  and  convenient 
harbors,  but,  in  their  middle  courses,  interrupted  by  rocky  obstruc- 
tive ledges,    above  which,    in  several   instances,    there    were   long 


Canals.  131 

stretches  of  natural  slackwater,  with  practicable  navigation  for  com- 
paratively long  distances.  These  undertakings  were  made  a  long  time 
since.  Thus  the  Cape  Fear  Navigation  Company,  with  power  to  con- 
struct canals,  received  a  charter  to  improve  the  Cape  Fear  river  in  1795 ; 
the  Roanoke  Navigation  Company  and  the  Neuse  River  Naviga- 
tion Companj^  in  181 2;  the  New  River,  the  Tar  River,  the  Catawba 
River  and  the  Cape  Fear  and  Yadkin  River  companies  in 
1816. 

Upon  all  these  schemes  vast  sums  were  spent,  and  little  accom- 
plished. Projectors  were  all  disappointed,  because,  in  all  instances, 
the  costs  far  exceeded  estimates,  and  the  relative  poverty  of  the 
people  and  communities  and  the  inability  to  enlist  the  aid  of  capital 
abroad,  as  was  subsequently  the  case  in  the  early  days  of  railroad 
construction,  compelled  the  ultimate  abandonment  of  the  effort,  and  left 
our  river-sides  with  here  and  there  some  partially  finished  section  of 
work,  like  the  Weldon  canal,  to  become  available  in  after  generations  as 
valuable  water-power. 

Of  late  years,  the  Albemarle  and  Chesapeake  canal,  connecting 
by  a  cut  of  a  few  miles  waters  in  Virginia  and  North  Carolina — the 
waters  of  Chesapeake  bay  with  those  of  Albermale  sound — gives 
navigation  to  sea-going  vessels  and  opens  up  an  inland  navigation 
from  Newbern  to  Norfolk,  and,  for  smaller  vessels,  through 
the  Clubfoot  and  Harlow  canal,  from  the  waters  of  Beaufort 
harbor. 

The  following  statement  comprises  about  the  present  condition  of 
our  waterways: 

"  There  are  eleven  hundred  miles  of  inland  steamboat  navigation 
in  North  Carolina.  Ocean  steamers  of  large  burden  come  into 
Wilmington  and  Beaufort,  and  the  Old  Dominion  and  Clyde  lines  of 
coastwise  steamers  come  to  Newbern,  Elizabeth  City  and  Washington 
via  the  Albemarle  and  Chesapeake  canal.  The  sounds  are  navigated  by 
a  large  fleet  of  light-draft  and  fast  steamboats  that  furnish  abundant 
means  of  transportation  for  passengers  and  freight  between  the  numer- 
ous points  where  they  touch.  Steamboats  run  up  the  Chowan  and 
Black  Water  to  Franklin,  Va.,  and  up  the  Meherrin  to  Murfreesboro ; 
up  the  Roanoke  to  Halifax;  up  the  Neuse  to  Kinston;  up  the  Trent  to 
Trenton;  up  the  Cape  Fear  to  Fayetteville;  up  the  Tar  to  Tarboro;  up 
the  Scuppernong  to  Cress  well;  up  the  Alligator  to  Fairfield;  up  the 
Cashie  to  Windsor;  up  the  Perquimans  river  to  Belvidere;  up  the 
Little  river  to  Woodville;  up  the  Pasquotank  many  miles  above 
Elizabeth  City;  up  the  North  river  to  Indian  Township,  and  up 
Moccasin  river  and  Swift  creek  to  the  head  of  navigation. 


132  North  Carolina  and  its  Rksources. 

PORTS  AND  HARBORS. 

Along  the  coast  of  this  State,  extending  from  Back  bay,  within 
the  Virginia  boundary,  nearly  to  the  South  Carolina  line,  is  a  series  of 
narrow  barriers  of  land,  interspersed  with  marshy,  rush-covered  flats, 
which  seem  to  have  been  purposely  interposed  by  nature  between  the 
tumultuous  outside  ocean  and  the  placid  expanses  of  water  lying 
within;  inland  seas,  with  all  the  repose  and  safety  of  interior  lakes, 
yet  with  some  of  the  features  of  the  outside  coast  lines,  inasmuch  as 
the  eye  sweeps  sometimes  over  a  boundless  stretch  of  waters,  enlivened 
with  all  the  animation  of  the  maratime  landscape,  the  full-spread 
sails  of  the  merchantman,  the  white  wings  of  the  fishing  craft,  or  the 
trailing  smoke  of  the  swift  flying  steamer,  until  it  rests  far  away  upon 
the  sandy  beach  and  the  thin  fringe  of  shrubbery  that  forms  the 
background.  These  inland  waters,  the  Sounds,  as  they  are  known, 
are  in  themselves  so  smooth  as  to  constitute  safe  harbors  from  the 
perils  of  the  ocean,  deep  and  navigable,  but  interrupted  by  shoals  and 
bars;  yet  in  the  deep  bays  and  estuaries  providing  ports  for  the 
vessels  engaged  in  the  coasting  trade,  a  class  of  shipping  at  one 
time  also  having  a  large  West  India  trade. 

But,  important  as  these  inside  bays  and  ports  are  and  always  will 
be,  their  importance  must  always  be  controlled  by  the  access  to  them 
from  the  open  sea,  and  which  is  imperatively  dominated  by  the  loca- 
tion and  permanency  of  the  inlets,  and  the  depth  of  water  upon  their 
bars. 

In  the  history  of  our  coast  there  is  nothing  that  presents  itself  as 
so  unstable  and  capricious  as  some  of  these  inlets,  almost  literally 
here  to-day,  there  to-morrow.  Once  there  were  inlets  into  Currituck 
sound,  with  good  depth  of  water,  now  there  are  none — one  closed  in 
1775,  one  in  1828.  Opposite  the  eastern  opening  of  Albemarle  sound 
was  once  an  inlet;  now  occupied  by  dangerous  Kitty  Hawk  and  the 
fatal  Killawil  dunes.  A  little  farther  south,  opposite  Roanoke  Island, 
was  once  the  deep  inlet  of  Nag's  Head,  through  which  the  earliest 
English  "adventurers  made  their  entrance  and  found  a  convenient 
landing-place  on  the  shores  of  the  famous  island.  That  inlet  has 
long  been  closed,  and  on  the  solid  land  which  now  fills  its  channel 
stands  the  hotel  which  forms  the  noted  summer  resort  of  "Nag's 
Head."  Opposite  the  lower  end  of  Roanoke  Island  opens  Oregon 
inlet,  which  for  many  years  has  provided  safe  entrance  for  vessels 
draVi^ing  ten  to  twelve  feet  of  water  into  the  waters  of  the  sound. 
Thence  down  the  coast,  through  the  very  thin  line  of  "  banks,"  are 
two  or  three  unsteady,  unsafe  entrances,  opening  and  closing  at  the 
will  of  the  outside  waters.     Passing  down  the  coast  opens  Hatteras 


Ports  and  Harbors. 


inlet,  net  far  from  the  cape  of  that  name;  and  this,  with  Ocracoke 
inlet,  forms  the  usual  most  reliable  access  to  the  inland  waters  of 
the  great  sounds,  Pamlico  and  Albemarle. 

Along  these  sounds,  at  various  points,  deep  and  broad  estuaries 
extend  back  to  the  mouths  of  large  rivers,  the  Chowan,  the  Roanoke, 
the  Tar,  the  Neuse,  together  with  such  streams  as  the  Pasquotank, 
which  in  its  relation  to  the  artificial  channel  of  the  Dismal  swamp 
canal,  has  given  existence  to  one  of  the  most  thriving  of  these  inland 
ports — Elizabeth  City.  Thus  along  these  inland  waters  have  grown 
up  ports  of  importance,  to  be  estimated  more  by  their  value  in  rela- 
tion to  domestic  trade  than  to  foreign  commerce;  for  Washington  and 
Newbern,  both  possessing  fine  harbors  and  easy  access,  are  controlled 
by  the  limitations  imposed  by  the  depth  of  water  in  the  inlets  or  on 
the  shoals  within  the  channels,  so  that  the  foreign  trade  once  enjoyed 
by  them,  and  carried  on  in  a  smaller  class  of  vessels  than  now 
regarded  as  profitably  adapted  to  foreign  trade,  is  now  practically  sus- 
pended. But  in  their  interior  operations  they  are  ports  with  a 
magnitude  of  business  that  emphasizes  the  prosperity  of  the  sections 
of  country  tributary  to  them,  and  the  waters  of  the  sounds  are  enliv- 
ened with  fleets  bearing  away  the  limitless  variety  of  contributions  to 
American  commercial  prosperity — cotton,  lumber,  shingles,  naval 
stores,  corn,  the  products  of  truck  farming,  etc. 

Just  under  Cape  Lookout  opens,  between  Core  and  Bogue  sounds, 
and  at  the  mouth  of  Newport  river,  the  inlet  which  lets  into  Beaufort 
harbor.  Vessels  drawing  twenty  feet  can  enter  readily  from  the  sea, 
and,  in  twenty  minutes,  are  lying  snugly  at  their  anchorage  or  at 
their  wharves.  It  is  entered  at  all  times,  except  against  a  north  or 
northwest  wind.  It  is  a  harbor  of  refuge  in  time  of  storm,  from  the 
enemy  in  time  of  war,  a  rendezvous  chosen  as  the  basis  c  .  naval 
operations,  as  during  the  v/ar  of  the  Revolution,  when  the  fleet 
destined  for  the  attack  on  Charleston  first  concentrated  here;  when, 
in  the  war  of  1S12,  captured  prizes  were  brought  in  here  for 
adjudication,  and  when  in  the  late  Civil  v/ar,  the  harbor  was  filled 
with  war  vessels  and  transports  of  the  Federal  Government.  The 
water  within  the  harbor  is  sufficient  for  the  largest  merchant 
vessels,  yet  it  is  not  a  commercial  port  of  value,  for  the  reason 
that  no  great  navigable  stream  brings  to  it  the  riches  of  the 
interior,  and  because  the  single  line  of  railroad  which  reaches  it  has 
not  yet  been  able  to  divert  the  current  of  traffic  from  its  accustomed 
channel. 

Down  the  coast,  below  Beaufort,  several  inlets  open  into  the 
sounds  at  the  mouths  of  tide-water   rivers,  such  as    White   Oak   and 


134  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

New  river.  But  the  water  on  their  bars  is  shallow,  and  these  bars  so 
shifting  as  to  forbid  the  expectation  that  they  will  ever  add  to  the 
number,  value  or  fame  of  our  ports  and  harbors. 

Between  the  island  kuown  as  Smith's  island,  at  the  southern 
extremity  of  which  is  the  dreaded  Cape  Fear,  the  '  'promontorium 
tretnendimi"  of  DeBry's  map,  and  the  main  land  on  the  west,  pours  in 
the  Cape  Fear  river,  the  only  large  river  in  the  State — the  only  one  in 
fact  between  the  Hudson  and  the  Savannah  that  makes  directly  into 
the  ocean,  for,  before  reaching  it,  all  the  others  are  swallowed  in  long 
and  wide  bays,  estuaries  or  sounds. 

Here  might  be  expected  a  harbor  of  easy  entrance  and  ample 
capacity.  Therefore  we  find  a  new  England  colony  of  adventurers 
seeking  settlement  and  homes  within  its  shelter  in  1660,  followed  by 
a  colony  from  Barbadoes  in  i662-'63,  and  thenceforward  continued 
occupation,  founding  of  towns,  opening  up  of  plantations,  enlarge- 
ment of  population  and  increase  of  wealth  up  to  the  present  day.  In 
early  times  the  class  of  merchant  vessels,  or  even  of  war  vessels,  was 
small  and  draft  light,  so  that  the  question  of  depth  of  water  on  the 
bar  and  in  the  inner  channels  never  seemed  to  have  been  presented. 
In  all  probability  there  never  was  occasion  for  it,  for  there  was  but  a 
single  entrance — that  between  Smith's  and  Oak  islands,  anl  that 
secured  suf&cient  water  for  all  vessels  using  the  harbor.  But  ic.  1761 
a  long-continued  tempest  cut  through  the  banks  between  Smith's 
island  and  what  was  long  afterwards  known  as  Federal  Point,  forming, 
until  recently  closed,  what  was  known  as  New  Inlet.  The  waters 
turned  into  this  new  channel  in  time  attained  a  depth  of  water  equal  to 
that  on  the  old  or  main  bar,  and  eventually  reduced  the  depth  of  water 
on  that,  in  1839,  to  about  nine  feet  at  low  water,  the  New  inlet  bar 
at  the  same  time  showing  ten  feet,  and  becoming  the  channel  through 
which  most  of  the  coasting  trade  was  conducted.  This  reduction  in 
depth  involved  diminution  in  trade,  and  Wilmington  was  seriously 
menaced  with  the  loss  of  its  most  valuable  commerce.  Therefore  the 
State  of  North  Carolina  began  the  work  of  relief,  continuing  it  from 
1823  to  1828,  when  the  General  Government  very  properly  assumed 
the  duty  and  the  cost.  The  operations  for  many  years  consisted  of 
efforts  to  deepen  and  clear  the  channel  of  the  river  for  some  miles 
down  by  dredging,  but  chiefly  by  the  construction  of  jetties,  and 
after  some  years  of  labor  and  a  large  expenditure  of  money,  a  gain  of 
two  or  more  feet  in  depth  was  effected.  The  work  was  suspended, 
and  resumed  in  1852,  and  directed  to  attempts  to  close  the  New  inlet 
by  closing  the  entrance  between  Smith's  and  Zeke's  islands,  and  fair 
progress  was  made,  when,  in  September,  1857,  ^  great  storm  swept 


Ports  axd  Harbors,  135 

away  nearly  all  that  had  been  accomplished,  and  efforts  were  aban- 
doned until  1870,  when  they  were  resumed  with  determined  purpose 
and  with  large  appropriations.  This  has  been  done  until  the  breach 
between  Smith's  and  Zeke's  islands  was  closed,  and  eventually  the 
flow  through  New  inlet  finally  checked.  This  is  not  the  place  for 
the  details  of  this  important  work,  the  present  object  being  only  to 
show  by  what  methods  the  usefulness  of  the  Cape  Fear  river,  in  its 
relation  to  material  and  domestic  commerce,  has  been  restored.  This 
has  been  done  by  the  erectiom  of  a  solid  dam  more  than  a  mile  in 
length  and  with  a  breadth  of  from  ninety  to  a  hundred  and  tv»'enty-five 
feet,  knit  together  by  natural  grass  and  oyster  shells,  until  it  is 
apparently  impregnable  to  the  assaults  of  the  fiercest  tempests.  The 
effect  on  the  depth  of  water  on  the  main  bar  was  not  at  once  appre- 
ciable; but  in  tv/o  or  three  years,  and  assisted  by  the  process  of 
suction  dredges,  a  great  gain  has  been  made,  so  that  v^^hereas  in  1878, 
when  the  shortest  soundings  in  the  Bald  Head  channel  were  nine 
feet,  in  1882  they  were  fourteen  feet,  and  now,  there  is  tv/enty  to 
twenty-two  feet  and  more  at  high  tide. 

The  Government  is  now  at  work  with  purpose  to  deepen  the  water 
on  the  bar  to  twenty-six  feet,  or  thirty,  w^hich  is  thought  to  be  practic- 
able. Doing  this,  a  safe  and  deep  harbor  is  found  inside  at  South- 
port  and  thence  up  to  Wilmington,  with  the  gains  already  made,  in  a 
channel  which  affords,  up  to  the  Vvharves,  a  depth  of  twent3'-two  feet 
or  more. 

The  importance  of  these  improvements  are  already  recognized 
nationally  and  in  their  relation  to  the  business  of  Wilmington.  The 
customs  receipts  have  quadrupled;  and  as  vessels  of  large  tonnage  can 
now  cross  the  bar  and  come  up  to  the  city  wharves  for  freight,  the 
cotton  receipts  of  the  port  have  mounted  up  annually  to  nearly  two 
hundred  thousand  bales,  and  they  find  shipment  in  a  class  of  vessels 
which  had  never  entered  the  port  until  the  impi'ovements  in  the 
channel  were  made — the  freight  steamships  of  from  one  thousand  two 
hundred  to  one  thousand  eight  hundred  tons  burden. 

The  improvements  vrhich  affect  beneficially  both  Wilmington  and 
Sonthport  are  none  the  less  important  to  the  latter  than  to  the  former. 
Southport  has  a  capacious  land-locked  harbor,  of  great  depth  and  free 
from  dangerous  shoals,  and  it  becomes  a  safe  harbor  of  refuge  during 
Storms,  and  in  cases  of  disablement  of  vessels  at  sea  by  storm  or  other 
accident;  and  the  benefits  already  accrued  are  ample  compensation  for 
the  cost  of  the  various  works.  The  increased  accessibility  of  the  har- 
bor also  gives  it  great  value  as  a  coaling  station,  lying  in  the  path  of 
an  enormous  coasting  and  Gulf  trade,  and  the  first  port  that  can  be 


136  North  Caroi^ina  and  its  Resources. 


reached    by    vessels    bound    north    who   find   themselves    short    of 
supplies. 

Wilmington,  or  the  Cape  Fear  river  harbor,  during  the  civil  war 
illustrated  some  peculiar  features  of  value.  With  its  ease  of  access  it 
was  also  readily  defensible.  One  of  its  fortifications  successfully 
repelled  the  first  assaults  of  one  of  the  largest  and  strongest  squadrons 
and  the  fiercest  and  most  terrible  bombardments  known  in  naval  annals. 
It  did  indeed  succumb  in  the  second  and  more  formidable  attempt;  but 
not  until  after  three  or  more  years  of  effort  to  capture  or  to  close  the 
port  were  the  blockading  vessels,  which  alone  kept  the  Southern 
States  in  communication  with  the  outer  world  and  kept  up  some  sem- 
blance of  trade,  effectually  excluded.  It  is  stated  that  the  number  of 
blockaders,  as  they  were  called,  those  that  ran  the  gauntlet  and  got 
in  safely  with  their  cargoes,  was,  from  May  20,  1863,  to  December  31, 
1864,  about  two  hundred  and  sixty;  prior  to  May  20,  1863,  fifteen; 
and  after  December  31,  1864,  ten,  making  a  total  of  two  hundred  and 
eighty-five. 

South,  or  rather  w^est,  running  down  the  coast,  which  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Cape  Fear  makes  a  course  at  right  angles  with  its  former  direc- 
tion, there  are  only  two  harbors,  both  of  minor  importance — Lock- 
wood's  Folly  and  Shallotte — with  capacious  and  safe  anchorage  inside, 
but  with  little  more  than  five  feet  water  on  the  bar,  except  with  favor- 
able wind  and  tide. 

WATER   POWERS. 

During  the  past  few  decades,  the  cheapening  of  coal  and  the 
necessity  for  locating  on  railroad  lines  in  order  to  avoid  the  expensive 
hauling  over  poor  country  roads,  have  led  to  the  greatly  increased 
use  of  steam,  and  to  a  corresponding  neglect  of  water  powers  in 
manufacturing  enterprises.  One  after  another,  even  a  number  of 
corn  and  flour  mills,  on  the  banks  of  North  Carolina  streams,  have 
been  abandoned  in  favor  of  the  mills  established  about  towns  and 
cities  and  operated  by  steam  on  a  larger  scale. 

But  in  spite  of  this  tendency,  many  of  the  water  powers  near 
railroad  lines  have  been  developed  to  their  full  capacity,  as  at  Rocky 
Mount,  Haw  river,  and  Rockingham;  and  Weldon  and  Roanoke 
Rapids  promise  soon  to  be  great  manufacturing  centers.  The  build- 
ers of  mills  at  these  places  have  shown  their  faith  by  their  works,  and 
in  reply  to  a  recent  inquiry  as  to  the  relative  merits  of  water  and 
steam  power  for  operating  cotton  mills,  these  men  express  a  preference 
for  water  power,  if  a  good  one  can  be  had  sufiiciently  near  the  railroad. 


Water  Powers.  137 


This  distance  of  most  of  the  North  Carolina  powers  from  railroad 
transportation  is  the  factor  that  has  prevented  their  development; 
but  the  transmission  of  power  by  electricity  promises  to  do  away  with 
this  disadvantage  by  making  it  practicable  to  locate  the  factories  on  the 
railroad  lines  and  still  operate  them  by  water  power,  whether  one  or 
twenty  miles  away.  This  new  factor  is  giving  a  new  and  greater 
importance  to  our  water  powers  than  they  have  had  before.  It 
is  rendering  pra-^^^icable  not  only  the  development  and  use  of  the 
hitherto  inacces3i/)le  large  powers,  like  the  Narrows  of  the  Yadkin, 
but  it  also  rendei'3  possible  in  many  cases  the  concentration  of  several 
small  water  powers  into  a  single  factory,  though  these  water  powers 
may  be  miles  apart  on  one  or  more  streams. 

The  largest  and  most  important  powers  in  the  State  are  on  the 
Roanoke,  Yadkin  and  Catawba  rivers,  but  on  a  number  of  other 
streams,  notably  on  the  Cape  Fear  and  its  tributaries,  are  many 
powers  of  sufficient  magnitude  to  operate  large  factories.  On  the 
Roanoke  river,  in  North  Carolina,  the  possible  water  developments 
are  limited  to  that  portion  of  the  stream  between  Gaston  and  Weldon, 
where  there  is  a  fall  of  eighty-four  feet  in  a  distance  of  about  nine 
miles;  and  the  possible  developments  here  range  in  the  aggregate 
tinder  different  conditions  from  twelve  thousand  to  twenty  thousand 
horse  power.  This  is  to  be  divided  between  two  companies,  the 
Roanoke  Navigation  and  Water  Power  Company,  and  the  Roanoke 
Rapids  Company.  The  canal  owned  by  the  former  of  these  starts  at 
Rock  island,  a  short  distance  below  Gascon,  and  terminates  just 
below  Weldon,  having  a  total  length  of  about  nine  miles.  The  total 
available  fall  in  this  canal  is  seventy-eight  feet,  of  which  thirty-three 
feet  is  available  at  the  upper  locks,  about  three  and  one-third  miles 
below  the  head  of  the  canal,  and  the  remaining  forty-five  feet  is  avail- 
able at  the  lower  end  of  the  canal. 

The  canal  of  the  Roanoke  Rapids  Company  is  only  about  one 
mile  long,  the  lower  end  of  it,  with  an  available  fall  of  twenty-five 
feet,  emptying  into  the  river  at  a  point  about  opposite  the  upper  locks 
in  the  old  canal.  The  upper  end  of  this  Roanoke  Rapids  canal  is 
extended  up  the  river  about  a  mile,  by  diking  certain  islands  and 
connecting  them  with  dams.  It  is  claimed  that  this  canal  will 
develop  from  five  thousand  to  sev  a  thousand  horse  power.  Already 
one  factor}'  has  been  built  at  its  lower  end  (about  four  and  one-half 
miles  above  Weldon)  and  others  are  now  in  process  of  construc- 
tion. 

On  the  Dan  river  and  its  tributaries  in  North  Carolina  there  are 
several  fine  water  powers,  some  of  which  have  already  been   devel- 


138  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

oped,  especially  on  Smith  river  at  lyeaksville  and  on  the  Mayo   river 
at  Mayodam. 

On  the  Tar  and  Neuse  rivers  there  are  but  few  valuable  water 
powers;  one  on  the  Tar  at  Rocky  Mount  (fully  developed)  and  one  or  two 
on  the  Neuse,  near  Raleigh,  (partially  developed);  Millburnie,  about 
six  miles  from  Raleigh,  where  there  is  a  partially  developed  power, 
with  an  available  fall  of  about  twelve  and  one-half  feet;  and  the  Falls 
of  the  Neuse,  three  miles  above  the  Raleigh  and  Gaston  railroad, 
which  latter  power  can  be  entirely  used  by  the  paper  mills  erected 
here.  On  the  Cape  Fear  river,  Smileys  and  Buckhorn  falls  are 
undeveloped  powers  of  some  magnitude  and  promise.  The  first  of 
these  is  about  five  miles  from  the  Atlantic  Coast  L,ine  railroad  and 
has  a  fall  of  twenty-seven  feet  in  a  distance  of  three  and  one-half 
miles,  and  the  second,  at  a  distance  of  about  seven  miles  from  the  Sea- 
board Air  Line  railroad,  has  a  fall  of  twentj^  feet  in  a  distance  of  one 
and  one-half  miles. 

On  the  Deep  and  Haw  rivers,  tributaries  of  the  Cape  Fear,  are  a 
number  of  valuable  powers,  both  developed  and  undeveloped,  and 
located  at  these  developed  powers  are  more  than  a  dozen  cotton  mills 
and  a  number  of  grist  and  saw  mills.  The  most  valuable  of  the 
powers  on  L  eep  river  is  two  and  one-half  miles  above  its  junction 
with  Haw  river,  at  lyockville,  on  the  Seabord  Air  Line  railroad.  Here 
the  canals  formerly  used  for  navigation  purposes  can  now  be  used  for 
operating  extensive  factories,  though  at  present  there  are  located 
here  only  a  small  roller  mill  and  a  grist  mill.  The  total  fall  at  this 
point  is  twenty-four  feet,  which  will  develop  from  six  hundred  to 
eight  hundred  horse  power  at  all  seasons  of  the  year.  Between  this 
point  and  Carbonton  there  is  only  one  available  water  power,  that  at 
Gulf,  which  operates  Mclver's  mills.  But  from  Carbonton  up  to 
Jamestown,  where  the  river  crosses  the  Southern  railroad,  there  are 
a  large  number  of  water  powers,  both  developed  and  undeveloped. 
The  developed  water  powers  operate  some  half  dozen  cotton  factories 
and  a  number  of  grist  and  saw  mills. 

On  Haw  river,  the  first  power  occurs  some  three  miles  above  its 
junction  with  Deep  river,  and  between  this  point  and  the  upper 
boundary  of  Alamance  county  there  is  a  succession  of  powers  quite 
similar  to  those  on  Deep  river  above  Carbonton;  eight  of  these  powers 
on  the  main  stream  and  three  on  the  tributary  streams  operate  cotton 
mills,  and  a  large  number  of  minor  powers  operate  grist  and  saw 
mills. 

The  Yadkin  river,  at  and  just  above  the  Narrows,  is  one  of  the 
greatest  power  centers  in  the  State,  and  will  probably'  be  developed  in 


WATER    POWER     TAR    RIVER- ROCKY   MOUNT, 


Water  Powers.  139 


the  near  future.  Here  the  river  has  cut  its  way  down,  in  a  narrow 
gorge,  across  a  series  of  very  hard  and  tough  volcanic  rocks  to  softer 
rocks  below.  Starting  at  the  lower  end  of  the  Narrows  gorge,  three 
to  four  miles  long  and  one  hundred  to  five  hundred  yards  wide,  in  the 
distance  of  ten  miles  the  river  has  a  fall  of  more  than  two  hundred 
feet,  an  average  of  more  than  twenty  feet  to  the  mile.  The  conditions 
do  not  favor  the  location  of  factories  directly  on  the  banks  of  the 
stream,  but  in  the  near  future  there  will  probably  be  ten  thousand  to 
twenty  thousand  horse  power  developed  and  transmitted  from  the 
Narrows  region  to  factories  located  and  operated  on  the  railroad  a  few 
miles  distant.  Below  the  Narrows  and  between  that  point  and  the 
Carolina  Central  railroad  there  are  four  prominent  shoals  which  may 
be  considered  available  for  water  powers:  (i).  Bluetts  falls,  about 
four  and  one-half  miles  above  the  railroad,  where  there  is  a  fall  of 
eight  or  nine  feet  in  a  distance  of  one  thousand  feet;  (2).  Grassy 
Island  shoal,  five  and  one-half  miles  above  the  railroad,  where  there 
is  a  fall  of  about  thirty-five  feet  in  a  distance  of  four  and  one-half 
miles;  (3).  Swifts  Island  shoals,  about  seven  miles  below  the  Narrows, 
where  there  is  a  fall  of  eighteen  feet  in  two  and  one-half  miles;  (4). 
Gunsmith  shoals,  two  and  one-half  miles  above  the  last  named, 
where  there  is  a  fall  of  nine  and  one  half  feet  in  less  than  half  a  mile. 
Above  the  Narrows  below  the  Southern  railroad  there  are  some  half 
dozen  shoals  that  can  be  developed  into  important  water  powers. 
Above  the  Southern  railroad  crossing,  near  Salisbury,  are  a  number 
of  smaller  powers. 

Of  the  tributaries  of  the  Yadkin  and  Pee  Dee  rivers  are  a  num- 
ber of  smaller,  but  valuable  powers  in  Iredell,  Davie,  Surry,  Wilkes. 
The  most  unique  and  interesting  of  the  smaller  streams  in  the 
State  are  those  in  portions  of  the  sand  hill  region,  such  as  Hitchcocks 
creek,  in  Richmond  (tributary  to  the  Yadkin),  and  Rockfish,  in  Cum- 
berland county  (tributary  to  the  Cape  Fear).  The  sand  here  serves 
as  a  sponge  for  the  rain  water,  which  flows  by  numerous  springs  into 
these  creeks  with  but  little  variation  between  the  winter  and  summer 
supply.  The  former  of  these  streams  is  only  seventeen  miles  long, 
and  yet  on  it  are  located  six  cotton  mills  and  several  grist  and  saw 
mills.  As  illustrating  the  great  benefits  of  such  manufacturing 
establishments  to  the  communities  in  which  they  are  located;  it  may 
be  stated  that  these  cotton  mills  in  Richmond  county,  operated  by 
such  small  streams,  have  paid  out  to  the  people  in  wages,  taxes  and 
fuel  during  the  past  five  5'ears  over  $1,000,000. 

The  next  great  manufacturing  center  after  Weldon  on  the  Roan- 
oke and  the  Narrows  region  on  the  Yadkin,  should  be  somewhere  on 


140  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

the  western  North  Carolina  railroad  near  where  it  crosses  the 
Catawba  river,  or  west  towards  Hickory,  For  several  miles  below 
this  railroad  crossing,  and  in  the  long  bend  for  twelve  or  fifteen  miles 
above  this  point,  are  a  number  of  shoals  or  rapids  in  the  Catawba, 
with  a  fall  ranging  from  five  to  fifty  feet  in  distances  of  from  a  few 
yards  to  two  or  three  miles.  These  might  be  developed  separately  to 
operate  independent  factories,  or  following  a  larger  plan,  supported  by 
larger  capital,  the  several  shoals  might  all  be  connected  by  electric 
wires  and  the  power  cencentrated  at  some  central  point.  The  powers 
included  within  this  region  are:  (i).  Sherrill's  Ford  shoals,  with  a 
fall  of  thirteen  feet  in  one  and  nine-tenths  miles.  (2).  Monbo  shoals, 
with  a  fall  of  six  feet.  (3).  Long  Island  or  Crawford's  Island  shoals, 
with  a  fall  of  twenty-three  and  one-half  feet  in  one  and  seven-tenths 
miles.  (4).  Buffalo  shoals,  with  a  fall  of  eleven  and  four-tenths  feet  in 
0.66  of  a  mile,  within  a  few  miles  below  the  Western  North  Carolina  rail- 
road crossing.  Above  this  railroad  crossing,  and  below  the  crossing  of 
the  Lenoir  Narrow  Gauge  railroad  from  Hickory,  (5).  Lookout 
shoals  with  a  fall  of  fifty-four  feet  in  three  and  two-tenths  miles.  (6). 
Lower  Little  river  shoals  with  a  fall  of  nine  and  seven -tenths 
feet  in  one  and  one-tenth  miles.  (7).  Canoe  Landing  shoals  with  a 
fall  of  nine  feet  in  one  and  nine-tenth  miles.  (8).  Great  Falls, 
with  a  fall  of  fifteen  feet  in  one  mile.  (9).  Horsford  shoals, 
with  a  fall  of  thirty-one  feet  in  two  and  nine-tenths  miles,  and  (10). 
Devil's  shoals,  with  a  fall  of  thirteen  and  eight-tenths  feet  in 
one  mile.  The  South  Fork  of  the  Catawba,  the  three  Broad  rivers  and 
Green  river,  each  though  much  smaller  streams  than  the  Catawba  have 
a  number  of  water  powers,  many  of  which  have  already  been  developed 
and  are  nov/  operating  cotton  mills,  and  a  still  larger  number  of 
undeveloped  or  partially  developed  powers.  Also  several  other 
tributaries  of  the  Catawba  which  descend  rapidly  from  the  forest- 
covered  mountains — notably  the  Linville  river — possess  promising 
water  powers.  There  are  other  important  water  powers  on  the 
Catawba,  both  above  and  below  this  region,  several  of  which  operate 
cotton,  grist  and  saw  mills. 

The  powers  on  streams  west  of  the  Blue  Ridge  have  been  little 
developed,  and  individually  will  not  attain  the  importance  of  some  of 
those  further  east;  but  they  are  numerous,  and  in  the  gorges,  which 
are  often  deep  and  narrow,  dams  can  be  constructed  at  small  cost. 
Electric  transmission  will  in  the  near  future,  render  practicable  the 
concentration  of  power  from  several  of  these  smaller  developments.* 


*NoTE — For  more  detailed  information  see    "Water  Powers  of   North  Caro- 
lina," Bulletin  No  8.  North  Carolina  Geological  Survey. 


Commercial  Fisheries.  i^i 


COMHERCIAL    FISHERIES. 


The  fishing  industry  of  North  Carolina  ranks  as  one  of  the  most 
important  business  enterprises  of  the  State,  and  in  the  coastal  regions 
is  no  doubt  of  greater  value  than  any  other  single  branch  of  trade. 
There  are  few  States  having  so  large  a  population  so  entirely  depend- 
ent on  the  fisheries  for  a  livelihood,  and  there  are  few  sections  in 
which  the  general  facilities  for  prosecuting  the  industry  are  more 
favorable.  The  fisheries,  therefore,  possess  a  great  economic  interest 
to  the  State,  and  indirectly  to  the  country  at  large;  and  a  proper 
knowledge  of  the  extent,  conditions  and  needs  of  the  industry  becomes 
a  matter  of  considerable  importance  to  the  citizens  of  the  Common- 
wealth. 

The  coast  of  North  Carolina,  following  the  outer  shores,  is  only 
about  three  hundred  miles  long,  but  if  the  sounds,  estuaries  and  other 
indentations  are  considered,  a  coast-line  nearly  one  thousand  five 
hundred  miles  in  length  is  disclosed,  along  the  entire  extent  of  which 
the  prosecution  of  commercial  fishing  is  made  possible  by  the  con- 
figuration of  the  shores  and  the  adjoining  bottom,  the  absence  of  high 
or  rocky  shores,  and  the  preponderance  of  low,  sandy  stretches  and 
shallow  water  areas,  permitting  the  employment  of  pound  nets,  seines, 
and  gill  nets  under  the  most  favorable  circumstances. 

The  characteristic  physical  features  of  the  coastal  regions  of  North 
Carolina  are  the  low,  narrow,  sandy  islands  and  peninsulas  which 
skirt  nearly  the  whole  ocean  front  of  the  State,  between  which  and 
the  mainland  are  numerous  sounds,  some  of  large  size,  which  are  the 
principal  fishing  grounds,  while  the  mainland  is  very  irregular  in  out- 
line and  is  intersected  by  a  number  of  large  and  small  streams. 

The  principal  fishing  grounds  are  the  sounds  and  lower  courses 
of  the  streams  emptying  into  them.  Fishing  in  the  upper  courses  of 
the  rivers  is  usually  of  a  non-commercial  nature,  and  is  unimportant. 

The  sounds  of  North  Carolina  are  Currituck,  Albemarle,  Croatan, 
Roanoke,  Pamlico,  Core  and  Bogue,  each  of  which  deserves  brief 
notice. 

Currituck  sound  is  the  most  northern  sound  in  the  State.  It 
runs  parallel  with  the  coast,  and  extends  from  the  Virginia  state-line 
to  the  eastern  end  of  Albemarle  sound,  with  which  it  merges.  It  is 
forty  miles  in  length,  and  from  three  to  four  miles  in  width.  For  a 
body  of  water  of  such  size  the  depth  is  extremely  shallow,  in  no 
place  being  more  than  nine  feet.  Except  during  periods  of  dry 
weather  the  water  is  fresh,  although  at  one  time  it    communicated 


142  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

freely  with  the  ocean  by  means  of  Caffey  inlet,  which  was  closed  in 
the  year  1800.  Prior  to  this  time  the  sound  contained  marine  fish, 
but  at  present  only  fresh  water  and  anadromous  fishes  are  found  in  it. 
Black  bass  (locally  called  chub)  and  white  perch  are  very  abundant, 
and  at  the  proper  season  rock  and  herring  enter  the  Sound  in  consider- 
able numbers.  The  catch  of  black  bass  is  probably  greater  than  in 
any  other  part  of  the  State,  if  not  the  largest  in  the  country.  The 
region  is  annually  visited  by  enormous  numbers  of  wild  fowl,  and  is 
one  of  the  most  noted  hunting  resorts  on  the  Atlantic  coast. 

Albemarle  sound  and  tributaries  are  next  in  order.  This  sound 
has  the  distinction  of  being  the  largest  coastal  body  of  fresh  water  in 
the  world.  Its  extreme  length  from  east  to  west  is  sixty  miles,  and 
its  maximum  width  is  fifteen  miles,  the  average  being  six  to  eight 
miles;  it,  therefore,  contains  about  four  hundred  and  fifty  square 
miles.  The  Vv^ater  is  normally  quite  fresh,  but  during  periods  of 
excessively  dry  weather  it  becomes  salt  or  brackish,  especially  at  its 
eastern  end,  v/here  it  drains  into  Roanoke  and  Croatan  sounds. 

Of  all  the  North  Carolina  sounds,  this  is  the  most  important  from 
a  fishery  standpoint,  and  it  is  probable  that  there  are  few  bodies  of 
water  of  similar  size  in  the  world  having  more  extensive  fisheries. 
It  is  especially  remarkable  for  its  level  bottom  and  uniform  depth  of 
water,  and  the  absence  of  strong  currents  and  tides,  except  those  of 
infrequent  occurrence  resulting  from  gales.  The  importance  is  due  to 
the  fact  that  the  region  is  annually  visited  by  enormous  bodies  of  shad, 
ale-wives,  striped  bass  and  other  desirable  economic  species,  and  the 
natural  conditions  permit  the  employment  of  seines,  pound  nets,  gill 
nets  and  other  devices  in  almost  limitless  numbers. 

Eight  rivers  enter  the  sound,  four  on  the  north,  two  on  the  west, 
and  two  on  the  south,  in  nearly  all  of  which  more  or  less  extensive 
fisheries  are  carried  on.  The  Chowan  and  Roanoke  rivers,  which 
flow  into  the  western  end  of  the  sound,  are  among  the  largest  and 
most  important  in  the  State,  and  have  large  fisheries  in  the  portion 
adjacent  to  their  mouths.  The  North,  Pasquotank,  Little  and  Per- 
quimans rivers,  on  the  north,  and  the  Scuppernong  and  Alligator 
rivers  on  the  south  are  short,  wide  streams,  the  most  important  as 
regards  fisheries  being  the  Pasquotank  and  Alligator. 

Roanoke  and  Croatan  sounds  lie  to  the  south  of  the  eastern  end 
of  Albemarle  sound,  and  extend  parallel  with  the  coast;  they  are 
separated  by  Roanoke  Island.  Roanoke  sound  lies  to  the  east  of  the 
island,  and  is  eight  miles  long  and  one  and  one-half  to  two  miles 
wide.  It  is  very  shallow  throughout  its  length,  except  in  a  narrow 
channel  which  skirts  the  shore  of  the  island.     Croatan  sound  has 


Commercial  Fisheries.  143 


the  same  length  as  Roanok^^  sound,  but  is  two  to  four  miles  wide  and 
is  much  deeper.  Most  of  tne  drainage  from  Albemarle  sound  passes 
through  it.  The  combined,  area  of  these  bodies  of  water  is  seventy- 
five  miles.  Important  gill-net  and  other  fisheries  aie  prosecuted  in 
these  sounds. 

Pamlico  sound  and  tributaries  are  of  commanding  importance. 
With  the  exception  of  Long  Island  sound,  this  is  the  largest  sound 
on  the  Atlantic  coast  of  the  United  States.  It  is  about  seventy -five 
miles  long,  and  from  ten  to  thirty  miles  wide,  the  area  being  about 
one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  sixty  square  miles.  On  the  north 
it  communicates  with  Albemarle  sound,  through  Roanoke  and 
Croatan  sounds,  and  much  of  the  water  of  Albemarle  sound  finds 
entrance  into  the  ocean  through  it;  on  the  south  it  joins  Core  sound. 
The  general  depth  is  fifteen  to  twenty  feet.  The  sound  is  separated 
from  the  ocean  by  long,  narrow  strips  of  sandy  land  called  "  Banks," 
through  which  the  water  of  the  sound  finds  exit  at  New,  Hatteras, 
and  Ocracoke  inlets.  The  land  known  as  the  "  Banks,"  consists 
chiefly  of  low,  barren  sand  hills,  with  occasional  patches  of  scrubby 
vegetation.  Two  important  rivers,  the  Pamlico  and  Neuse,  enter  the 
sound  from  the  west,  their  mouths  being  broad  estuaries  in  which 
considerable  fishing  is  done.  Pamlico  sound  contains  a  great  wealth 
of  both  fresh-water  and  salt-water  fish.  The  large  bodies  of  anad- 
romous  fish  which  occur  in  the  sounds  to  the  north  all  pass  through 
it.  The  salinity  of  the  water  permits  the  entrance  of  menhaden, 
squeteague,  spots,  mullet,  sheepshead,  whiting,  hogfish,  bluefish, 
etc.,  in  large  numbers.  Large  areas  are  covered  with  a  natural  growth 
of  oysters,  a  product  which  has  recently  attained  marked  prominence. 

Core  and  Bogue  sounds,  communicating  with  Pamlico  sound  on 
the  north,  and  extending  first  in  a  southwesterly  and  then  in  a  westerly 
direction,  form  a  long  and  narrow  body  of  water  about  fifty  miles  in 
length,  and  from  one  to  six  miles  in  width.  Their  area  is  about  one 
hundred  and  sixty -five  square  miles.  These  communicate  with  the 
ocean  through  Beaufort,  Bear  and  Bogue  inlets.  The  water  is  very 
shoal,  varying  from  one  to  ten  feet,  and  not  averaging  more  than  four 
or  five.  The  people  living  on  the  shore  of  these  sounds  are  very 
generally  dependent  on  the  v/ater  for  a  livelihood,  and  the  fisheries 
carried  on  are  very  extensive.  The  principle  species  taken  are 
mullet,  squeteague,  bluefish,  spots,  hogfish,  Spanish  mackerel  and 
whiting.  The  catch  of  the  two  first-named  fish  is  larger  than  in  any 
other  body  of  water  on  the  Atlantic  coast. 

Other  sounds. — South  of  Bogue  sound  the  coast  is  fringed  with 
five  small,  shallow  sounds,  known  as  Stump,  Topsail,  Middle,  Mason- 


North  Caroi^ina  and  its  Resources. 


boro  and  Myrtle  sounds.  These  have  but  little  bearing  on  the 
fisheries  at  present,  and  are  chiefly  important  because  of  the  possi- 
bilities they  have  for  oyster  production  and  cultivation.  White  Oak 
and  New  rivers,  the  only  streams  of  importance  between  Beaufort 
entrance  and  the  Cape  Fear  river,  also  have  natural  oyster  beds. 
New  river,  in  the  opinion  of  lyieut.  Winslow  and  many  others,  con- 
tains some  of  the  finest  oyster  ground  in  the  world,  although  the 
absence  of  shipping  facilities  until  a  very  recent  date  has  delayed  the 
development  of  this  important  resource. 

Fishing  in  the  ocean  is  prosecuted  with  gill-nets  and  seines  at 
many  places  along  the  coast,  but  is  especially  important  on  the  shore 
between  Cape  Hatteras  and  Currituck  sound,  where  the  winter  fishery 
for  bluefish  has  become  famous.  The  species  taken  in  greatest  num- 
bers, are,  in  addition  to  bluefish,  trout,  spot,  mullet,  drum,  whiting, 
Spanish  mackerel  and  sheepshead. 

In  the  vicinity  of  Wilmington,  considerable  line  fishing  is  done 
at  times  on  the  blackfish  banks  located  several  miles  ofi"  shore,  sea 
bass,  grunts  and  pigfish  being  the  species  taken. 

The  shore  between  Cape  Hatteras  and  Bogue  Inlet  has  a  number 
of  seine  fisheries  for  porpoises,  which  congregate  in  this  region  in 
large  numbers  during  the  colder  months. 

The  statistical  data  herewith  presented  cover  the  entire  commercial 
fishery  interests  of  the  State,  including  the  river  basins.  From  the 
three  general  tables  which  follow,  a  clear  conception  may  be  gained 
of  the  condition  and  extent  of  the  fisheries  as  they  existed  in. 
1890.     (The  last  available  census  returns.) 

I. — TABI.E   OF    PERSONS    EMPI.OYED, 
HOW   ENGAGED. 

On  vessels  fishing. 251 

On  vessels  transporting 175 

In  shore  fisheries 7J052 

On  shore,  in  fish  houses,  factories,  etc .  2,796 

Total 10,274 

The  prominent  features  of  the  first  table,  showing  the  number 
of  persons  employed  in  the  industry  are:  the  small  proportion 
of  vessel  fishermen,  and  the  large  number  of  shore  and  boat  fisher- 
men, the  disparity  being  greater  than  in  almost  any  other  coast  State. 
The  total  fishing  population,  numbering  ten  thousand  two  hundred 
and  seventy-four,  is  much  larger  than  that  of  any  State  in  the  South 
Atlantic  group. 


Commercial  Fisheries.  145 


II — TABLE    OF    APPARATUS   AND    CAPITAL. 

DESIGNATION. 

No.  Value. 

Vessels   fishing 54  I  30,550 

Tonnage 530.72  

Outfit 12,129 

Vessels  Transporting 74  53>ooo 

Tonnage 1,084.87  

Outfit 5,350 

Boats 3,816  162,905 

Steam  flats  20  24,000 

Pontoons  or  pile  drivers 26  1,470 

Apparatus  of  capture — Vessel  fisheries 

Seines 16  3,975 

Lines 2 

Tongs no  284 

Apparatus  of  capture — Shore  fisheries 

Seines 1,257  95,674 

Pound  nets 950  80,394 

Gill  nets 90,980  154,582 

Fyke  nets 36  384 

Skim  nets 728  2,798 

Lines 55 

Pots 1,165  1,755 

Tongs,  rakes  and  forks  1,369  4>i73 

Miscellaneous  apparatus 202 

Shore  property  and  accessories 306,506 

Cash  capital 303,800 

Total 1,243,988 

The  capital  invested  in  the  fishing  industry  was  $1,243,988,  and 
the  value  of  vessels  and  their  outfits  was  $101,029;  of  boats,  pile 
drivers  and  steam  flats,  $188,375;  of  apparatus  of  capture,  $344,278; 

of  shore  property  and  working  capital,  $610,306.  The  minor  factors 
in  the  investment  are  brought  out  in  the  above  table. 

III. — TABLE   OF    PRODUCTS. 

Species.                        Pounds.  Vai,ue. 

Alewives,  fresh 5,219,979  $48,865 

Alewives,  salted 11,261,084  115,771 

Black  bass,  fresh 406,330  20,420 

Black  bass,  salted 1,200  72 

Bluefish,  fresh 1,151,380  29,398 

Bluefish,  salted 193,814  4,205 

Catfish,  fresh 53,685  1,246 

Channel  bass,  fresh 136,950  1,404 

Channel  bass,  salted 28,865  515 

Croakers,  fresh   ..    227,345  5,461 

10 


North  Caroi^ina  and  its  Rksources. 


Species.  Pounds.  Value. 

Croakers,  salted 84,120  2,406 

Eels,  fresh 160,615  9.726 

Flounders,  fresh 48,630  894 

Hogfish,  fresh 251,370  7,830 

Hogfi^h,  salted 5,150  141 

Menhaden,  fresh 12,410,400  16,171 

Mullet,  fresh 974,815  19,178 

Mullet,  salted 2,610,216  78,065 

Mullet  roe,  salted 950  165 

Perch,  fresh 583,204  22,098 

Perch,  salted 26,270  671 

Pike,  fresh 40,510  1,765 

Pompano,  fresh 9i75o  780 

Red  horse,  fresh ,  60,550  i,779 

Sea  bass,  fresh 33,075  1,158 

Shad,  fresh *5, 675,063  301,942 

Shad,  salted 93,35o  4,073 

Sheepshead,  fresh 90,665  4,000 

Sheepshead,  salted ,  55,68o  1,981 

Spanish  mackerel,  fresh 82,950  5,97S 

Spanish  mackerel,  salted 8,550  276 

Spots,  fresh 227,160  5,289 

Spots,  salted 181,100  5,573 

Strawberry  bass,  fresh 28,075  1,106 

Striped  bass,  fresh. 562,841  31, 973 

Striped  bass,  salted 5, 500  165 

Sturgeon,  fresh 175,210  4,467 

Squeteague,  fresh 1,640,160  39,958 

Squeteague,  salted 245,517  8,898 

Whiting,  fresh 35, 300  1.231 

Miscellaneous  fish,  fresh —  474,452  12,851 

Miscellaneous  fish,  salted.. .  87,963  2,362 

Refuse  fish 18,500  173 

Porpoises **....  4,398 

Shrimp 144,200  5,435 

Crabs *...  47,400  1,185 

Terrapin 26,552  4,690 

Turtle 17,725  1,024 

Quahogs  or  clams 1226,152  12,090 

Scallops :t:i8,ooo  800 

Oysters.... §5,650,820  175,567 

Total 51,799,142           11,027,669 


*Number,  1,612,594. 

**Number,  1,747. 

f Weight  of  edible  part;  represents  28,269  bushels. 

J  Weight  of  edible  part;  represents  4,000  bushels. 

§Weightof  edible  part;  represents  807,260  bushels. 


Commercial  Fisheries.  147 

In  the  third  table,  the  quantities  and  values  of  each  of  the  impor- 
tant objects  of  capture  are  shown.  All  products  are  reduced  to  the 
common  unit  of  a  pound  in  order  that  the  full  extent  of  this  phase 
of  the  industry  may  be  given  in  one  summary.  The  basis  for  the 
principal  reductions  is  explained  in  a  foot-note  to  the  table.  It  is 
seen  that  51,799,142  pounds  were  taken,  with  a  value  of  $1,027,669. 

The  objects  of  fisheries  may  be  systematically  grouped  as  follows 
to  show  the  importance  of  the  different  classes  represented : — 

Class. 

Mammals $    4,398 

Fishes 822,480 

Reptiles 5,714 

Crustaceans 6,620 

Mollusks 188,457 

Total $1,027,669 

The  most  important  single  product  of  the  North  Carolina 
fisheries  is  the  shad,  the  value  of  which  was  $306,015;  this  sum  was 
considerably  in  excess  of  the  selling  prices  of  the  next  important 
species,  the  oyster,  which  was  $175,567.  The  alewives,  locally 
called  herring,  had  a  value  of  $164,636,  after  which  the  principal 
species  were  mullet,  worth  $113,414;  squeteague,  locally  called  trout, 
worth  $48,856;  bluefish,  worth  $33,603;  and  striped  bass,  worth 
$32,138.     The  other  products  are  relatively  unimportant. 

A  knowledge  of  the  relative  and  actual  effectiveness  of  the 
different  forms  of  apparatus  employed  in  the  fisheries  is  of  great 
practical  advantage  to  the  fishermen. 

The  seine  is  the  form  of  apparatus  that  takes  the  largest  amount 
of  fish  and  yields  the  greatest  money  returns.  In  1890,  17,984,830 
pounds  of  fish,  valued  at  $401,036,  were  caught  in  this  way. 

The  seine  fisheries  of  the  Albemarle  section  are  more  important 
than  those  of  any  other  part  of  the  State,  and  it  is  probable  that  the 
number  of  large  shad  seines  there  operated  is  greater  than  elsewhere 
in  the  United  States.  The  counties  bordering  on  the  sound  and  its 
tributaries,  which  maintain  the  most  valuable  seine  fisheries  are 
Chowan  and  Bertie.  In  that  portion  of  Dare  county  bordering  on 
Croatan  sound,  there  are  also  important  seine  fisheries.  In  Pamlico 
sound,  Beaufort  and  Craven  counties  have  valuable  fisheries  of  this 
kind.  Carteret  county  leads  all  others  in  the  value  of  its  seine 
fisheries,  the  sales  of  fish  amounting  to  $86,195;  Dare,  the  next 
important  county,  followed  with  $52,111;  after  which  came  Bertie, 
Chowan,  Craven,  Currituck,  Onslow  and  Beaufort  counties. 


North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


Next  to  the  seine,  the  pound  net  is  the  most  productive  means  of 
capture,  although  the  value  of  the  catch  is  less  than  that  of  the  gill 
nets;  thus  8,282,562  pounds  of  fish  valued  at  ^123,606,  were  taken. 
Few  changes  in  the  fisheries  of  the  State  during  the  past  decade  have 
been  more  remarkable  than  the  large  increase  in  the  number  of  pound 
nets.  In  1880,  only  one  hundred  and  seventeen  such  nets  were  set 
in  the  State,  while  in  1890,  there  were  nine  hundred  and  fifty.  The 
pound-nets  are  most  numerous  in  the  Albemarle  region,  but  are  also 
employed  in  the  other  sounds,  and  the  rivers  emptying  into  them. 
This  form  of  net  was  introduced  into  Albemarle  sound  in  1870,  since 
which  time  it  has  exerted  a  marked  influence  on  the  development  of 
the  fisheries,  by  supplanting  to  a  greater  or  less  extent  the  older 
types  of  apparatus  because  of  its  greater  cheapness  and  efficiency. 

Gill  nets  take  somewhat  smaller  quantities  of  fish  than  pound- 
nets,  but  the  catch  has  a  greater  value,  owing  chiefly  to  the  large 
numbers  of  shad  secured  which  have  a  relatively  high  valuation. 
Considerably  more  than  half  the  shad  credited  to  the  State  are  taken 
in  gill  nets,  the  catch  being  3,348,577  pounds,  valued  at  $175,388. 

Gill  nets  are  most  numerous  in  Dare  county,  in  which  the 
gill-net  catch  is  far  more  valuable  than  in  all  the  remaining  counties 
combined,  this  prominence  being  due  to  the  enormous  quantities  of 
shad  taken.  Carteret  and  Onslow  counties  rank  next  in  importance, 
the  principal  part  of  the  catch  being  marine  species. 

Of  the  remaining  forms  of  apparatus  used  in  the  capture  of  fish, 
lines  are  the  most  prominent,  although  when  compared  with  seines, 
pound  nets  and  gill  nets,  they  are  insignificant.  Line  fishing  on  a 
commercial  basis  is  followed  only  in  Onslow,  New  Hanover,  and 
Sampson  counties,  and  quantities  of  fish  taken  are  small.  The 
aggregate  catch  was  380,375  pounds,  having  a  value  of  $13,003,  the 
principal  species  being  hogfish  and  squeteague. 

Skim  nets  are  used  in  greatest  numbers  on  the  Roanoke,  Tar, 
and  Neuse  rivers  in  the  capture  of  shad  and  alewives.  In  1890, 
247,148  pounds  of  fish,  worth  $10,581,  were  taken  by  this  means. 
Eel  pots  are  sparingly  employed  in  four  counties — Currituck,  Dare, 
Hyde,  and  Beaufort — and  their  use  appears  to  be  increasing, 
especially  in  Dare  county.  Pots  took  153,415  pounds  of  eels,  for 
which  the  fishermen  received  $9,222.  Fyke  nets  are  the  only 
remaining  apparatus  used  commercially  in  taking  fish,  and  these  are 
only  sparingly  employed  in  Dare  and  Sampson  counties,  where  they 
catch  small  quantities  of  catfish,  mullet,  perch,  red  horse,  sheepshead, 
striped  bass,  and  squeteague.  The  total  yield  was  24,885  pounds, 
valued  at  $716. 


Commercial  Fisheries.  149 


The  porpoise  industry  and  the  fishery  which  it  supports  are  of 
less  extent  than  formerly,  owing  to  the  diminished  inducements 
offered  to  the  fisherman  by  the  low  prices  received  for  the  raw 
products.  In  1890,  only  two  firms  were  engaged  in  handling  the 
porpoises,  in  preparing  their  hides,  and  in  trying  out  their  oil.  The 
number  of  porpoises  killed  was  1,747,  for  which  the  fishermen  received 
$4,398.     The  resulting  manufactured  products  werevaluedat  $10,350. 

North  Carolina  is  the  most  southern  State  in  v/liich  the  menhaden 
fishery  and  industry  are  carried  on.  The  fishery  may  be  said  to  be 
the  only  one  except  that  for  oysters  in  which  vessels  are  employed, 
and  it  is  the  only  off-shore  vessel  fishery  in  the  State,  although  a 
considerable  part  of  the  fish  handled,  are  caught  in  the  sounds  adja- 
cent to  the  ocean  and  not  in  the  ocean  itself.  The  business  is  centered 
at  or  in  the  vicinity  of  Beaufort,  where  six  factories  were  in  operation 
in  1890.  The  capital  invested  in  buildings,  vessels,  apparatus,  etc., 
was  $97,060,  the  number  of  persons  employed  was  one  hundred  and 
eightj^-seven,  the  value  of  the  fish  handled  was  $16,171,  and  the 
value  of  the  manufactured  products  was  $38,727. 

Most  of  the  matter  in  the  foregoing  sketch  was  prepared  by  Dr. 
Hugh  M.  Smith,  of  the  division  of  fisheries,  from  data  obtained  in  an 
investigation  of  the  fishing  industries  of  North  Carolina  by  the  U.  S. 
Fish  Commission.  Valuable  information  on  certain  features  has  also 
been  furnished  by  Mr.  S.  G.  Worth,  formerly  Superintendent  of 
Fisheries  in  North  Carolina,  and  now  an  officer  of  the  National 
Commission. 

Dr.  W.  R.  Capehart,  of  Avoca,  Bertie  county,  the  third  of  his 
direct  generation  engaged  in  commercial  fishing,  in  a  letter  dated 
March,  1896,  says: 

"In  the  Albemarle  sound  and  its  tributaries,  the  steam  and  horse 
power  seines  have  invested  in  realty  approximatelj'  $100,000,  and 
personalty  $58,000,  and  this  requires  an  annual  expenditure  of  about 
$31,000  to  keep  up  the  wear  and  tear  on  the  above  valuations;  and  it 
must  be  born  in  mind  that  much  of  this  annual  expense  is  of  a  very 
perishable  nature,  as  is  the  case  with  all  coastal  property,  especially 
fishing  apparatus. 

These  plants  give  employment  for  about  two  months  to  one 
thousand  persons,  whose  combined  wages  for  this  brief  period  aggre- 
gate $40,000.  A  few  competent  seine  riggers  and  menders  find  a  few 
months  additional  employment  each  year,  which  swells  the  above 
wage  account  about  $5,000  more. 

The  approximate  annual  value  of  the  catch  in  seines  for  the  terri- 
tory   under   discussion,    is   $176,000.     This    includes    the    iced    fish 


150  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

shipped  in  boxes  to  northern  markets,  and  twenty  thousand  barrels  of 
salt  fish,  valued  at  $82,000,  which  are  sold  almost  exclusivel}^  in  this 
and  adjoining  states. 

The  scrap  and  waste  from  these  seine  fisheries  is  converted  into 
fertilizing  material,  and  gives  an  additional  $8,000  to  the  annual  value. 
Bear  in  mind  that  all  of  the  above  refers  to  seine  fishing  alone  in  the 
Albemarle  sound  and  its  tributaries. 

Now  we  come  to  pound  or  dutch  nets,  which  will  be  considered 
for  the  same  territory  exclusively.  As  compared  with  seines  this 
comprises  by  far  the  greater  quantity  of  material.  There  are  no  less 
than  1 ,  1 25  of  these  pound  nets  spread  in  the  waters  of  the  sound  and 
its  tributaries,  which  give  employment  to  about  1,200  persons,  with 
combined  wages  for  the  season  of  no  less  than  $42,000.  To  give  very 
briefly  some  idea  of  the  cost  of  putting  in  this  number  of  pound  nets, 
it  will  not  be  amiss  to  state  a  few  of  the  items.  About  one  hundred 
and  twenty-five  boats  valued  at  $15,625  are  employed;  about  32,000 
pine  poles,  from  fifteen  to  thirty-five  feet  in  length  are  required,  and 
cost  in  the  aggregate  $5,500;  no  less  than  265,000  yards  of  netting 
(twelve  to  twenty-four  feet  in  depth),  is  used  and  at  a  cost  of  $110,800. 

The  output  from  these  1,125  pound  nets  may  be  summarized  as 
follows:  7,900  boxes  (iced)  fish,  mostly  shad,  and  40,500,000  fish, 
mostly  herring.  The  iced  fish  are  worth  about  $85,000,  and  the 
others  $140,000. 

Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  from  these  two  sources  alone — seines 
and  pound  nets — that  no  less  than  $387,925  are  invested  in  the  fisheries, 
apparatus,  and  in  the  annual  wages  paid,  and  that  the  value  of  the 
catch  approximates  $409,000.  And  there  are  no  less  than  2,200 
persons  employed  in  prosecuting  the  work. 

There  is  no  room  to  make  mention  of  the  other  forms  of  apparatus 
or  the  resulting  catch  from  them,  except  to  a  comparatively  new 
departure  in  one  branch  of  the  fishing  industry.  I  refer  to  the  stur- 
geon fishing,  now  conducted  almost  exclusively  for  the  roe  sturgeon, 
which  are  valued  for  the  large  roe.  This  roe  is  converted  by  a  very 
simple  process — the  application  of  German  salt  in  a  particular  propor- 
tion— into  a  relish  of  much  popularity  in  Germany  and  Russia,  known 
as  caviar.  This  caviar  is  packed  into  oak  kegs  or  kits  holding  one 
hundred  and  twenty  pounds  each  and  shipped  via  New  York  to  the 
foreign  destinations  referred  to.  The  product  is  worth  thirty- three 
and  one-third  cents  per  pound  at  present,  and  the  price  is  rather 
upward  than  otherwise  in  its  tendency. 

There  are  more  than  a  hundred  boats  and  over  two  hundred  and 
fifty  persons  employed  in  the  prosecuti'>n  of  this  branch  of  fishing. 


Commercial  Fisheries.  i^i 


The  increase  in  the  volume  of  business  done  on  the  Albemarle 
and  its  tributaries  may  be  briefly  summarized  by  these  facts  recently 
obtained  from  transportation  companies.  From  1882  to  1892 — ten 
years — the  increase  of  iced  fish  shipped  was  from  13,700  to  23,900 
boxes.  From  1892  to  January,  1896,  the  shipments  have  climbed  to 
42,400."  Very  respectfully, 

W.  R.  Capehart. 

Comparing  Dr.  Capehart's  later  data  with  that  of  the  United  States 
Fish  Commission  for  1890,  it  will  be  observed  that  the  Albemarle 
Sound  and  its  tributaries  present  a  most  remarkable  increase.  In 
round  numbers  the  1895  value  of  the  catch  there  is  •,  ery  nearly  equal 
to  four-fifths  of  the  total  value  of  the  catch  for  the  State  at  large  for 
the  former  yea-v. 

Source  of  Catch.         iSgo:   Value  of  Catch;         1S95:    Value  of  Catch; 
State  at  Large.  Albemarle  Sound  and 

tributaries. 

Seines $401,036  |iS4,ooo 

Pound  Nets 123,606  ^25,000 

Total $524,642  $409,000 

If  the  increase  in  the  whole  State  has  kept  pace  with  that  of  the 
Albemarle  sound,  the  value  of  the  1895  catch  must  have  reached  the 
two-million  dollar  mark. 


SHELLFISH. 

In  the  saline  waters  of  North  Carolina  abound  oysters,  clams, 
scallops,  crabs,  shrimp,  and  diamond-back  terrapin,  in  perfection  of 
flavor.  In  commercial  importance  the  oyster  is  of  far  greater  value 
than  all  the  others  combined,  and  will  be  treated  accordinglj'  in  what 
follows. 

The  abundance  in  which  oysters  were  found  along  the  Atlantic 
coast  of  the  United  States,  and  their  superior  excellence,  made  them  at 
once,  upon  the  settlement  of  the  country  along  the  waters  which  pro- 
vided them,  an  article  both  of  subsistence  and  luxury.  With  the 
increase  of  interior  population  and  the  provision  of  quick  and  ready 
means  of  transportation,  the  use  of  them  was  enormously  enlarged, 
and  the  distribution  of  them,  in  all  the  forms  of  use,  became  co-ex- 
tensive w4th  the  American  continent,  and  v^^as  not  confined  to  that 
broad  area,  for  Europe,  in  the  diminution  of  its  own  supplies,  and 
also  in  its  recognition  of  the  superiority  of  the  American  oyster,  has 
been  for  a  number  of  years  a  large  consumer.  The  consequence  is  the 
depletion  of  many  grounds  once  regarded  as  inexhaustible,  the  dimi- 


152  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

nution  in  other  waters  where  diminution  seemed  impossible,  followed 
by  the  assertion  of  local  rights,  attempts  at  the  exclusion  of  invading 
trespassers,  contention,  bloodshed;  iinally  legislative  action  and  the 
effort  to  define  rights  by  law,  with  power  to  assert  and  secure  them 
by  force;  and  all  this  made  necessary  because  human  nature  knows 
no  moderation  in  the  use  of  the  abundant  free  gifts  of  Providence,  or 
in  the  attainment  of  that  which  leads  to  competency  or  wealth. 

The  attempt  to  retrace  the  steps  of  past  waste  and  neglect  is 
what  invariably  follows  in  locking  the  stable  door  after  the  horse  has 
gone — vain  regrets  and  fruitless  self-reproach.  All  the  deep  research 
of  science,  all  the  costly  experiments  of  artificial  breeding,  all  the 
labor  of  planting  new  territory  of  waters,  will  not  bring  back  to  Con- 
necticut, New  York,  Maryland  and  Virginia  the  store  they  wasted 
and  the  abundance  they  so  universally  squandered. 

It  happens  that  there  remains  one  treasure-house  not  yet 
plundered,  one  great  water  granary  whose  doors  are  not  yet  thrown 
wide  open.  North  Carolina,  overlooked  and  despised  in  the  Eldorado 
of  the  Chesapeake,  now,  when  the  glories  of  the  latter  are  fading,  is 
found  to  possess  what,  with  prudence,  patience,  legislative  wisdom 
and  local  self-control,  may  be  converted  into  a  field  quite  as  prolific 
as  the  once  teeming  oyster  waters  of  Maryland  and  Virginia.  Its 
sounds,  its  bays  and  its  creeks,  extending  along  the  coast  for 
hundreds  of  miles,  give  promise  of  natural  conditions  that  will  assure 
in  time  as  large  a  product  as  ever  existed  in  other  waters.  Some  of 
these  North  Carolina  waters  are  too  much  freshened  by  the  influx  of 
fresh-water  rivers  to  have  been  the  kadz'fai  of  thQ  native  oyster,  or  to  be 
made  available  as  beds  for  artificial  culture;  but  in  all  the  other  waters 
which  exist  in  the  largest  proportion,  to  which  the  salt  waters  of  the 
ocean  have  ready  access,  the  native  oyster  has  always  been  found,  and 
of  great  excellence.  In  the  depletion  of  the  oyster  grounds  of  the 
Chesapeake  and  other  waters,  the  enterprise  of  the  oystermen  of 
those  localities  was  on  the  alert  to  save  their  industries  from  ruin, 
and  the  invasion  of  the  North  Carolina  waters  was  rewarded  with  the 
discovery  of  a  large  relatively  untried  area.  To  check  Vv^hat  threatened 
to  effect  here  what  had  been  done  elsewhere,  and  to  secure  the  people 
of  North  Carolina  in  the  possession  of  their  rights,  the  aid  of  legisla- 
tion was  earnestly  invoked. 

One  of  the  first  decisive  steps  taken  was  the  enactment  of  a  law. 
ratified  March  11,  1885,  directing  the  State  Board  of  Agriculture  to 
cause  a  survey  to  be  made,  both  of  natural  oyster-beds  and  private 
oyster  gardens,  with  reference  to  the  culture  of  shellfish.  Under  the 
act,  the  Governor  was  requested  to  ask   the  Federal  Government  to 


Shellfish.  153 

detail  some  person  in  the  public  service,  expert  in  such  matters, 
to  make  the  necessary  surveys.  In  compliance  with  the  request 
Lieut.  Francis  Winslow,  U.  S.  N.,  was  detailed.  He  has  made  two 
reports,  extracts  from  which  are  here  made. 

In  his  first  report  he  says  the  waters  subject  to  the  jurisdiction 
of  North  Carolina,  consist  mainly  of  twelve  sounds,  extending  along 
the  coast  and  connected  with  each  other  from  the  Virginia  line  in 
Lat.  36°  33'  W.  to  the  Cape  Fear  river  in  Lat.  34°  53'  W.  These 
sounds  are  Currituck,  Albemarle,  Roanoke,  Croatan,  Pamlico,  Core, 
Bogue,  Stump,  Topsail,  Middle,  Masonboro  and  Myrtle,  and  four 
estuaries  known  as  Bogue,  Bear,  Brown  and  New  inlets.  The  harbor 
of  Beaufort  and  the  mouth  of  the  Cape  Fear  river  form  other  inlets. 
Some  of  these  sounds,  such  as  Albemarle  and  Currituck,  being  princi- 
pally fresh  water,  are  excluded  from  the  consideration  of  oyster 
culture.  Albemarle  Sound  receives  the  waters  of  several  large  rivers, 
and  contains  within  its  own  limits  5,631,400,000  tons  of  fresh  water. 
The  other  v/aters  are  all  suitable  to  the  growth  of  the  oyster  in  its 
native  beds,  or  for  its  propagation  by  planting,  Lieutenant  Winslow 
saj'S  in  his  second  report: 

'Since  the  survey  has  been  in  progress,  knowledge  of  the  possi- 
bilities of  the  locality  and  of  the  business  has  become  diffused  among 
the  citizens,  not  only  of  North  Carolina,  but  of  other  States,  and  the 
effect  has  been  to  induce  a  large  number  of  people  to  enter  grounds. 
In  Dare  county,  forty-three  entries  have  been  made,  comprising  at 
least  twenty-six  thousand  acres.  In  Hyde  county,  three  hundred  and 
thirty-nine  entries  have  been  made  comprising  fully  twenty-six 
thousand  acres;  and  in  Carteret  County,  ninety  entries,  com- 
prising nine  hundred  acres.  Of  these  entries  sixtj'-eight  are  by 
residents  of  other  States,  and  four  hundred  and  four  by  residents  of 
North  Carolina.  Entries  are  still  being  made  and  warrants  for  sur. 
veys  are  still  coming  in,  and  in  the  course  of  another  year  it  is  quite 
possible  that  the  territory  may  be  doubled.  But,  as  it  is,  an  aggregate 
of  fifty -three  thousand  acres  entered  is  a  suflScientl}^  gratifying  indica- 
tion of  the  value  of  the  survey  and  of  the  legislation  it  brought  about- 

The  cultivation  of  this  immense  tract  will  require  a  great  deal  of 
time,  money  and  labor.  Thousands  of  people  r^  ust  be  emplo3'ed  and 
hundreds  of  thousands  of  dollars  spent.  But  ev  :y  dollar  so  expended 
goes  to  increase  the  material  wealth  of  the  State,  and  the  employment 
of  every  man  insures  additional  comforts  and  conveniencies  to  the 
families  of  the  citizens  of  the  seaboard  counties.  It  is  with  pleasure 
that  I  have  noted  that  one  of  the  first,  if  not  the  first,  to  venture  in 
this  new  field,  is  a  citizen  of  Hyde  county,  who  is  reported  to  have 


154  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

abandoned  a  profitable  lumber  business  for  the  purpose  of  engaging  in 
oyster  growing,  and  who  has,  I  understand,  the  intention  of  making 
as  his  original  outlay  a  sum  about  equal  to  the  total  value,  prior  to 
1886,  of  the  whole  03'ster  industry  of  the  State. 

The  natural  beds  have  not  only  been  defined  and  located,  but 
under  the  recent  law  much  additional  area  adjacent  to  them  has  been 
set  apart  and  excepted  from  entr3^  These  areas  are  the  public 
grounds,  and  by  law  they  include  the  natural  beds  and  sufficient  area 
adjacent  and  surrounding  them,  to  provide  for  their  natural  expan- 
sion. The  provision  for  allowance  for  natural  expansion  has  been 
liberally  construed,  as  v^ill  be  seen  b}^  the  following  summary  of  the- 
areas  of  the  natural  beds  and  public  grounds: 

Area  Area 

County.  Public  Grounds.  Natural  Beds. 

Dare 4,604.16  2,118.25 

Hyde 6,891.94  1,642.90 

Pamlico 4,495.61  437.00 

Carteret   4,561.40  1,012.50 

Total 20,553.11  5,210.65 

Or  the  area  of  the  public  grounds  exceeds  that  of  the  natural  beds 
by  15,343  acres.  The  natural  beds  of  that  portion  of  the  State  not 
under  the  operation  of  the  new  law  comprise  3,381  acres;  or  the  total 
acreage  of  natural  beds  is  8,591. 

The  area  reserved  for  the  common  fishery  is  thus  ample  for  all 
time  to  come,  and  as  these  areas  are  excepted  from  entry,  and  as  they 
include  the  natural  beds,  not  only  is  an  entry  or  appropriation  of  a 
natural  bed  prevented,  but  no  person  can,  practically,  enter  near  ?. 
natural  bed.  At  the  same  time,  as  the  grounds  open  to  the  general 
fishery  are  defined  and  known,  the  private  cultivator  is  free  from 
depredation  under  guise  of  the  exercise  of  the  common  right  of  fishery. 
Thus  the  source  of  complaint  of  all  classes  interested  is  removed. 

The  area  entered  will  bring  into  the  State  Treasury  over  $1 2,000, 
a  net  gain  over  the  entire  expenses  of  over  $7,000,  and  the  taxes  that 
eventually  accrue  to  the  counties  and  State  may  amount  in  the  course 
of  a  comparatively  few  years  to  fully  .$10,000  per  annum." 

Legislation  is  now  ample,  if  enforced,  to  protect  and  promote  the 
oyster  interests  of  the  State.  It  is  unlawful  to  use  any  instrument  but 
hand-tongs  to  take  oysters  from  State  grounds,  violation  of  which  is- 
indictable  as  a  misdemeanor.  Only  residents  of  the  State  are  permitted 
to  use  instruments  or  boats  upon  State  grounds;  and  nonresidents, 
upon  conviction  of  violation  of  this  provision,  are  to  be  fined  not  less 
than  $-00,  or  be  confined  in  the  county  jail,  to  be  hired  out  by  the 


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Agriculture.  155 


Commissioners  of  the  county  for  a  term  not  less  than  one  year.  Resi- 
dents must  obtain  a  license  for  the  use  of  boats,  and  individuals  desir- 
ing to  catch  oysters,  whether  on  their  own  account  or  that  of  employers, 
must  take  out  from  the  Clerk  of  the  Court  an  annual  license,  paying 
for  the  same  $2.50  and  a  Clerk's  fee  of  twenty-five  cents,  and  must 
make  oath  that  he  has  been  a  bona  fide  resident  of  the  State  for  twelve 
months  next  preceding  the  application  for  license.  Oysters  are  to  be 
culled  on  the  public  grounds  when  taken,  and  oysters  of  a  specified 
size  are  to  be  returned  to  the  waters  on  the  public  grounds.  Oysters 
must  not  be  taken  from  the  public  grounds  between  the  first  day  of  May 
and  the  first  day  of  October.  The  control  of  the  oyster  interest  is  placed 
under  charge  of  one  Chief  Commissioner,  to  be  appointed  by  the 
Governor,  and  to  hold  office;  and,  to  enable  the  Commissioner  to  dis- 
charge his  duties  of  visiting  the  grounds  and  repelling  and  capturing 
interlopers,  a  patrol  boat  is  provided,  with  authority  to  use  arms  when 
necessary. 

The  oysters  taken  at  the  difierent  points  in  the  sounds  and  estu- 
aries vary  much  in  size,  shape  and  flavor.  The  New  river  oysters 
are  much  prized  for  size  and  flavor,  and  are  probably  the  best  known 
abroad.  But  the  markets  of  Wilmington,  Newbern,  Washington  and 
other  points  are  supplied  from  their  various  oyster  grounds  with  a 
shellfish  of  a  quality  not  inferior  to  those  taken  at  New  river.  With 
the  care  in  cultivation,  and  the  protection  given  by  law,  it  is  only  a 
question  of  time  when  the  waters  of  North  Carolina  will  yield  as 
abundantly  as  the  waters  of  the  Chesapeake  have  done,  and,  in  quality 
of  the  oyster,  with  no  inferiority. 

The  diamond-back  terrapin  is  found  in  all  the  coast  country,  a 
delicacy  in  such  demand  and  of  such  value  as  to  have  become  the  sub- 
ject of  legislative  protection  and  of  artificial  cultivation. 

Clams  abound,  and  are  now  recognized  as  valuable  members  af 
the  family  of  shellfish.  They  are  shipped  in  large  quantities  from. 
Newbern,  Morehead  City,  and  many  other  points. 

The  same  may  be  said  of  scallops,  soft-shell  crabs  and  shrimp. 
These  delicacies  are  abundant  and  find  ready  sale  both  in  local  and 
distant  markets 


AGRICULTURE. 


"Every  part  of  North  Carolina  has  some  one  thing 
That  will  make  it  distinctly  a  great  section.'' 

A.  K.  McCLtTRE. 

The   geographical   position  of  the  State,   occupying  a  commoH 
ground  between  the  sub-tropical  growth  of  the  South  and  the  more 


156  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

hardy  products  of  northern  latitudes,  and  its  geological  formation, 
rising  from  a  level  with  the  sea  on  the  east,  through  every  degree  of 
increasing  elevation  to  the  mountains  of  the  west,  where  Mitchell 
rears  his  supreme  summit,  unite  in  the  production  of  greater  varieties 
of  minerals,  of  forest,  of  flora  and  of  agricultural  products  than  are 
to  be  found  in  any  like  amount  of  territory  in  the  United 
States. 

The  palmetto,  the  magnolia  and  the  live-oak  are  at  home  in  the 
coast  region,  while  among  the  mountains  of  the  west  the  sugar- 
maple,  the  hemlock  and  white  pines,  the  tamarack,  balsam  and  rho- 
dodendron find  congenial  soil  and  climate  for  perfect  development. 
"In  the  first  case  depression  of  level  has  associated  the  eastern  section 
¥(rith  the  influences  of  the  tropics;  in  the  other  the  elevation  has  thrust 
it  into  association  with  Canadian  atmospheric  conditions.  It  will  be 
readily  understood,  then,  what  a  broad  and  fruitful  field  North  Caro- 
lina presents,  between  the  extremes  presented,  for  the  profitable  cul- 
ture of  nearly  all  the  field  crops,  vegetables  and  fruits  grown  in  the 
United  States — the  rice  of  the  coast  and  the  buckwheat  of  the  moun- 
tains; the  cotton  of  the  South  and  the  flax  of  New  England,  the  corn, 
the  wheat,  the  rye  and  the  oats,  the  potatoes,  peas,  sorghum,  the 
tobacco,  vegetables,  fruits,  grapes,  grasses,  everything, — which,  if 
North  Carolina  knew  herself,  and  if  the  stranger  knew  her  as  she  ought 
to  be  known,  would  make  her  the  most  coveted  and  most  prosperous 
country  on  which  the  sun  sheds  his  fertilizing  beams." 

This  great  variety  and  abundance  of  resources  of  diSerent  sec- 
tions of  the  State  not  onlj'^  might  supply  the  wants  of  her  own  people 
but  tend  to  stimulate  and  exchange  among  themselves  of  their  sur- 
plus products,  securing  thereby  better  prices  by  the  saving  of  freights 
over  long  lines  of  transportation. 

While,  therefore,  North  Carolina  may  not  compete  with  some  of 
the  other  great  agricultural  states  in  such  special  product  as  each 
may  excel  in,  yet  combining  the  variety  and  universality  of  produc- 
tion, the  capacity  for  self-sustenance,  the  "some  one  thing"  that  each 
section  excels  in;  and  added  to  these  things  the  healthfulness  and 
pleasantness  of  the  climate,  the  beauty  of  the  landscape,  the  hospital- 
ity of  the  people;  the  assertion  is  boldly  and  confidently  made  that 
she  surpasses  all  the  others. 

The  soil  of  the  eastern  counties  is  mostly  of  alluvial  formation, 
and  remarkably  easy  of  cultivation;  cotton,  corn,  tobacco,  peanuts, 
sweet  and  Irish  potatoes  vie  with  each  other  in  making  generous 
response  to  intelligent  and  kindly  treatment  of  the  soil;  while  stone 
fruits  and  pears,  small  fruits  and  garden   products   attest   its   almost 


Agricltlture.  157 

universal  adaptation  to  all  agricultural  productions  for  the  susten- 
ance of  mankind. 

It  is  in  the  eastern  counties  where  the  trucking  industry  has 
reached  its  highest  development,  rapidly  increasing  its  productions 
from  small  beginnings,  some  ten  years  ago,  to  its  present  great  com- 
mercial value.  Here  is  the  natural  home  of  the  sweet  potato,  North 
Carolina  excelling  all  other  states  in  the  quantity  and  quality  of  its 
product. 

The  Coastal  Plain  region  gradually  merges  into  the  Piedmont 
Plateau,  the  divisional  line  between  which  may  be  said  in  a  general 
way  to  transverse  the  State  from  northeast  to  southwest,  passing  a 
little  east  of  Raleigh,  the  capital  of  the  State;  the  Piedmont  extend- 
ing westwardly  from  this  line  to  a  tier  of  counties,  bordering  the  Blue 
Ridge,  where  the  Mountain  region  fairly  begins.  The  Piedmont  is 
that  favored  region  where  blend  harmoniously  the  climate,  soil  and 
products  of  the  east  and  the  west,  the  north  and  the  south;  where  the 
invalid  seeking  a  soft  but  invigorating  climate,  where  the  farmer  in 
search  of  land  that  never  fails  to  make  a  return  of  the  kindly  fruits  of 
the  earth,  where  the  vineyardist  and  orchardist  whose  products  most 
excel,  where  the  stock  breeder  and  dairyman  who  need  positive  con- 
ditions for  success,  where  the  tobacco  planter,  determined  with  his 
"brights"  to  top  the  market,  may  each  come  and  may  each  find  a 
locality  with  conditions  to  meet  his  especial  needs. 

To  the  westward  lies  the  Mountain  region,  an  elevated  plateau, 
broken  into  chains  and  spurs  of  mountains  and  alternating  valleys. 
No  great  surplus  of  valuable  crops  finds  its  way  to  distant  markets 
from  this  region;  few  big  farms  require  the  labor  of  many  hands;  but 
the  conditions  excel  for  the  industrious  farmer,  who  may  here  sur- 
round himself  with  all  those  products  of  comfort  and  luxury  which 
constitute  an  "independent  living,"  corn,  wheat,  rye,  oats,  hay,  Irish 
potatoes,  apples,  sorghum,  buckwheat,  butter,  cheese,  milk,  honey 
and  numerous  vegetables.  The  field  is  a  wide  one  for  growing  the 
finest  winter  apples;  for  dairy  products,  for  vegetable  growing,  and 
for  canning  establishments.  The  uncleared  mountains  and  hills 
grow  heavy  forests  of  valuable  trees,  their  soil  being  equal  if  not 
superior  to  that  of  the  valleys. 

This  is  that  '  'Land  of  the  Sky, ' '  written  of  in  poetry  and  romance; 
the  home  of  a  brave,  truehearted  and  kindly  people;  the  paradise 
alike  of  the  millionaire  and  the  peasant — whose  soft  beauty  and 
rugged  grandeur  are  a  perpetual  joy  and  inspiration. 

Who,  standing  on  the  proud  summit  of  Mount  Mitchell  and  con- 
templating  all   the   goodly   State  spread  out   before   him,  will   not 


North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


exclaim  with  the  Hon.  W.  D.  Kelly,  of  Pennsylvania:  "North  Caro- 
lina is  the  fairest  portion  of  God's  earth  on  which  my  feet  have  ever 
rested." 

COTTON. 

North  Carolina  has  never  been  among  the  foremost  of  the  cotton 
growing  States,  for  although  nearly  all  of  the  ninety-six  counties  of 
the  State  make  report  of  the  crop  in  the  census  tables,  as  a  matter  of 
fact,  more  than  one-half  the  cotton  producing  area  is  confined  to 
twenty-eight  counties.  Nor  have  the  farmers  of  this  cotton  section 
been  so  dependent  on  the  planting  of  cotton,  that  they  might  not 
readily  increase  or  diminish  production  by  adoption  of  other  crops  to 
correspond  with  ruling  prices  in  the  markets  of  the  world;  hence,  as 
should  be  expected,  the  statistics,  such  as  were  made  from  1801  to 
1840,  when  crop  returns  were  first  enumerated  in  the  census  reports, 
and  the  census  reports  from  1840  to  1890,  all  show  that  the  cotton 
production  of  the  State  has  been  marked  b)-^  greater  fluctuations  than 
that  of  an}'  other  State.  The  following  table  indicates  the  variable- 
ness of  production,  and  gives  the  total  products  at  different  periods  in 
the  State's  history: 

Year.  Pounds.  Bai^ks. 

1801  4,000,000        

1821 10,000,000        

1826 18,000,000        

1833 10,000,000        

1839,  Census 51,926,190        

1849,        "      29,538,000         

1859.         "      64,753,730         

1869,         "      62,901,790        

1879,         "      176,487,894         389.598 

1889,         "      160,396,497         336,261 

1895,  Dept.  of  Agriculture 339,499 

This  fluctuation  in  production  is  undoubtedly  due  to  variation  in 
price,  and  to  the  ready  adaptability  of  the  soil  to  grow  such  other 
crops  as  corn,  wheat,  oats,  tobacco,  rice,  hay,  &c.,  which  has  wisely 
limited  the  production  of  cotton  in  large  quantities  to  those  counties 
where  it  is  grown  with  greater  profit.  Even  in  these,  the  cotton  acre- 
age comprises  but  a  small  proportion  of  the  total  area. 

While  the  average  yield  of  cotton  is  shown  to  be  less,  a  bale  to 
the  acre  and  twenty  bales  to  the  mule  are  not  uncommon.  This 
indeed,  might  be  the  rule  under  a  wise  system  of  rotation  and  a  judi- 
cious use  of  fertilizers  and  leguminous  crops. 

The  quality  of  the  fibre  grown  is  excellent,  the  proportion  of  lint 
to  weight  of  seed  being  larger  than  the  product  of  any  other  State 


Cotton.  159 

Of  the  seed  product,  70,341  tons  are  reported  in  the  census  of 
1S90,  valued  at  $718,741 — no  inconsiderable  item  in  the  value  of  the 
crop.  But  as  the  best  cotton  yields  only  about  thirty-three  per  cent, 
of  lint,  evidently  the  tons  of  seed  reported  to  a  crop  of  over  336,000 
bales,  were  less  than  half  the  actual  product,  which  was  in  the 
neighborhood  of  160,000  tons.  The  amount  reported  represented 
probably  the  sales,  the  balance  going  into  home  consumption. 

Compared  with  other  States,  North  Carolina  stands  eighth  in 
amount  of  production.  "Neither  as  a  whole,  nor  in  any  considerable 
portion  of  its  area,  is  the  cotton  production  of  North  Carolina  distin- 
guished for  its  density.  Of  the  entire  land  surface  of  the  State,  3.69 
per  cent,  was  devoted  to  cotton  planting  in  1889,  or  little  more  than 
one-third  the  proportion  obtaining  in  the  adjacent  State  of  South 
Carolina."     (Extract  Census,  1890.) 

The  counties  producing  the  largest  number  of  bales  are,  in 
descending  order  of  production,  Mecklenburg,  Wake,  Richmond, 
Robeson,  Johnston,  Edgecombe,  Pitt,  Wa3'-ne,  Wilson,  Anson,  Cleve- 
land and  Union 

TOBACCO. 

The  easy  adaptability  of  the  soil  of  North  Carolina  elsewhere 
commented  upon,  and  the  increase  or  decrease  in  the  production  of 
different  crops  to  fit  the  varying  conditions  of  the  markets,  is  not 
better  illustrated  than  in  the  rapid  and  enormous  enlargement  of  the 
tobacco  area  and  product,  as  cotton,  the  other  great  money  producing 
crop  of  the  State,  has  been  steadily  declining  in  value.  These  two 
great  crops  may  be  considered  correlative  to  each  other,  that  one  being 
predominant  which  for  the  time  returns  the  greater  remuneration. 
The  price  of  cotton  declining,  tobacco  remaining  firm,  cotton  planting 
is  curtailed,  tobacco  acreage  increased.  Should  the  reverse  in  prices 
occur,  cotton  would  again  increase  and  tobacco  planting  decline. 
This  rule  cannot  apply  to  all  the  cotton  district,  nor  to  all  the  tobacco 
district,  but  a  large  scope  of  territory  is  common  to  the  production  of 
both  crops,  and  it  is  this  common  ground  which  gives  the  preponder- 
ance to  the  one  or  the  other. 

Nearly  all  the  counties  in  the  State  raise  tobacco,  in  patches  for 
home  consumption,  if  not  for  market;  but  the  crop  for  market  pur- 
poses was  confined,  as  shown  by  the  census  of  1890,  chiefly  to  thirty 
counties.  Of  these  thirty,  onl}^  eleven  are  accredited  with  over  a 
million  pounds,  and  these  eleven  counties  produced  two-thirds  of  the 
crop  of  '89.  These  are,  in  descending  order  of  production :  Rocking- 
ham, Granville,  Stokes,  Caswell,  Person,  Madison,  Vance,  Forsyth, 
Buncombe,  Surry  and  Durham. 


i6o  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


The  following  table  shows  the  production  for  the  State  at  large 
as  given  in  the  census  reports  since  1850: 

Acres.  Pounds. 

1850 11,984,786 

i860 32,853,250 

1870 11,150,087 

1880 57,208  26,986,213 

1890 97,077  36,375,258 

Since  the  census  report  of  1890  was  taken,  the  decline  in  price  of 
cotton  has  greatly  stimulated  the  production  of  tobacco  in  the  counties 
of  Wilson,  Nash,  Edgecombe,  Green,  Lenoir,  Beaufort,  Pitt,  Wash- 
ington, Franklin,  Wayne,  Wake,  Martin,  Bertie  and  Halifax. 

Some  of  these  are  now  in  the  front  rank  of  the  tobacco  producing 
counties  of  the  State,  both  in  quantity  and  quality  of  the  product. 

Col.  Cameron  in  his  admirable  treatise  on  tobacco,  in  the  Hand- 
book of  North  Carolina,  issued  in  1893,  discredits  the  correctness  of 
the  census  report  of  the  crop  of  1889,  and  in  support  of  his  position 
quotes  from  a  very  carefully  prepared  address  of  Mr.  W.  W.  Wood, 
President  of  the  State  Tobacco  Association,  made  to  that  body  in 
August,  1891.  Col.  Cameron  exonerates  the  enumerators  of  the  cen- 
sus from  carelessness  or  intentional  error,  and  explains  the  discrepancy 
of  their  reports  with  the  actual  amount  of  production.  Mr.  Wood 
makes  his  estimates  from  entirely  different  sources,  and  reaches  the 
conclusion  that  the  crop  amounted  to  76,000,000  pounds.  That  Mr. 
Wood's  estimate  was  none  too  large,  and  showing  also  the  enormous 
increase  in  production  during  the  past  six  years,  the  highest  possible 
confirmation  is  now  adduced. 

The  U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture,  working  carefully  and  con- 
stantly through  its  different  agencies,  is  the  most  reliable  authority 
on  crop  productions  of  any  in  the  United  States.  The  crop  report  for 
March,  1896,  says: 

"Between  1888  and  1893,  no  returns  of  tobacco  were  published 
by  the  department,  and  a  comparison  of  the  figures  for  recent  crops 
with  those  of  receipts  for  manufacture  and  net  exports,  published  by 
the  Treasury,  leaves  ample  room  for  a  suspicion  that  the  whole  pro- 
duct was  at  no  time  reported.  The  correspondents'  returns  of  yield 
and  acreage  compared  with  the  year  before,  appearing  in  the  monthly 
statistical  reports  for  1895,  having  been  found  to  give  a  total  product 
considerably  less  than  that  actually  brought  to  light  in  previous  years, 
the  statistician  instituted  in  December  a  special  investigation  of  the 
subject,  a  circular  of  additional  inquiries  being  sent  to  all  the  tobacco 
producing  States.     The  results  of  that  investigation  are  embodied  in 


Tobacco.  i6f 


the  following  table,  where  the  column  showing  farm  values  was  com- 
puted from  the  prices  reported  in  December,  1895.  In  most  of  the 
States  where  an  increase  appears  a  correction  of  last  year's  acreage  is 
probably  involved.  North  Carolina,  however,  with  more  t'nan  double 
the  acreage  and  product  reported  in  1894,  plainly  shows  the  stimulus 
of  local  manufacture. 

The  loss  to  the  crop  was  severe  in  Virginia  and  in  the  mountain 
region  of  North  Carolina:" 

Acres.         Pounds.        Doi^lars. 

Connecticut 6,579  9,928,000  1,638,120 

Pennsylvania 15,600  14,305,000  1,058,570 

Maryland 15.233  12,796,000  742,168 

Virginia 88,463  53,432,000  4,274,560 

North  Carolina...     143,156         114,525,000         10,536,300 

Tennessee 53>890  43,220,000  3,025,400 

Kentucky 223,574         179, 553, 000  9,526,909 

Ohio 35,969  25,358,000  1,318,613 

Indiana 13, 435  8,760,000  770,080 

Missouri   10,580  8,718,000  758,466 

The  statistics  here  given  demonstrate  the  wonderful  suitableness 
of  certain  sections  of  the  State  to  the  growth  of  tobacco. 

Standing  sixth  in  point  of  production  in  1879,  -curth  in  1889, 
in  1895  North  Carolina  forges  ahead  and  stands  second  to  Kentucky 
only  in  amount  of  production,  and  first  of  all  the  States  in  the  value  of 
her prodnct^  exceeding  Kentucky  by  over  one  million  dollars. 

An  analysis  of  the  figures  show  an  average  production  of  the 
State  at  large  of  eight  hundred  pounds  per  acre,  worth  nine  and  one- 
fifth  cents  per  pound,  giving  the  average  value  of  yield  per  acre  of 
I73.60. 

With  the  exception  or  Louisiana,  whose  product  of  sugar  and 
molasses  does  not  exceed  in  value  per  acre,  no  other  State  can 
approach,  in  agricultural  product,  the  record  here  made  of  North 
Carolina's  crop  of  tobacco. 

When  it  is  considered  that  the  bulk  of  a  tobacco  crop  is  neces- 
sarily of  inferior  grades,  the  superiority  of  our  "  brights "  and 
"mahoganies"  becomes  apparent,  which  increase  the  average  value 
to  nine  and  one-fifth  cents  per  pound,  and  to  $73.60  per  acre.  To 
quote  again  from  Mr.  Wood's  admirable  paper: 

* '  Within   her  borders  is  produced  such  a  variety  of  high  grade 

leaf,    and  in  such    quantities   as   is   nowhere  else   to  be  found   the 

world  over.     Upon  her  high  type  of  cutting  leaf,  the  great  cigarrette 

business   of    the   world   was   built   up.     Her   unsurpassed   smokers, 

produced  in   the    "Golden    Belt,"  placed   her   granulated    smoking 
11 


i62  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


tobacco  at  a  premium  over  all  others  in  the  world.  Her  mahogany 
types  of  fillers  and  v.-rappers,  are  by  chewers  of  tobacco,  every- 
where preferred  before  all  others." 

RICE. 

Historians  tell  us  that  the  cultivation  of  rice  dates  back  to  nearly 
three  thousand  years  B.  C,  and  though  it  is  indigenous  to  India,  the 
first  mention  of  its  culture  is  among  the  Chinese.  It  was  cultivated 
in  S3'ria,  four  hundred  years  B.  C,  was  introduced  by  the  Arabs  into 
Spain,  and  the  fifteenth  century,  was  planted  by  the  Italians.  The 
first  rice  raised  in  America  was  at  Charleston,  S.  C,  in  the  seventeenth 
century,  and  from  that  beginning  sprang  the  rice  crop  of  the  present. 
Before  the  introduction  of  rice  into  this  State,  in  1738,  the  tide-water 
low  lands  were  seeded  to  indigo,  which  gradually  gave  place  to  the 
more  remunerative  crop.  Wild  indigo  still  troubles  the  rice  miller 
more  than  all  other  weeds,  as  its  discoloring  effect  upon  the 
cleaned  product  is  disastrous.  There  are  two  varieties  of  rice,  the 
white  and  the  golden  seed,  both  have  adherents  as  to  superiority. 
PJce  can  be  grown  upon  all  lauds,  but  to  be  successful  on  an  exten- 
sive scale,  there  should  be  proper  facilities  for  irrigating  the  crop  at 
its  critical  periods.  The  upland  rice  is  inferior  in  size,  color  and 
weight,  but  makes  an  additional  food  crop  under  careful  treatment. 

The  benefits  derived  from  vv^ater  in  the  cultivation  of  rice  are 
many,  the  most  important  perhaps  being  the  destruction  of  grass  and 
v/eeds,  and  it  also  destroys  some  pestiferous  insects.  The  water  is 
also  necessary  when  the  grain  begins  to  fill  and  the  rice  to  ripen. 
Drainage  is  as  necessarj-  as  irrigation.  The  v/hole  qiestion  of  water 
must  be  so  handled  as  to  be  under  the  complete  control  of  the  planter; 
Vkdiile  rice  is  a  water  plant,  it  may  be  easily  killed  with  too  much 
water.  The  rice  lands  of  the  lower  Cape  Fear  river,  are  as  fertile  as 
any  in  the  world,  and  will  yield  from  fifty  to  sixty  bushels  to  the  acre, 
though  the  average  is  considerably  less.  From  two  and  a  half  to 
three  bushels  are  seeded  to  the  acre.  To  prevent  floating,  the  seed 
are  clayed  by  the  use  of  clay  and  water,  and  then  dried  before  sown. 
As  soon  as  sown,  the  fields  are  flooded.  This  is  the  "  spring  flow  " 
and  remains  until  the  plant  is  up,  then  drained  and  kept  dry  until  the 
rice  shows  distinctly  over  the  entire  field,  when  it  is  again  flooded 
v/itli  the  "  stretch  flow,"  which  covers  the  plant  entirely  and  remains 
for  some  days,  when  the  water  is  drawn  to  a  "  stand,"  that  is,  enough 
is  taken  off  to  allow  the  tips  of  the  plants  to  show  on  the  surface  of 
the  v/ater.  This  "  stand  "  of  water  remains  until  the  plant  has  had 
time  to  regain  the  strength  of  stalk  lost   in  the  "stretch"  flow,  and 


The  Peaxut.  163 

the  plant  will  straighten  up  vrithii:  twenty  aa5"S,  when  all  the  water 
is  taken  off  and  the  fields  kept  dry  for  a  like  period.  Then  the 
"harvest  flow"  is  turned  on,  and  remains  for  about  two  months,  or 
v/ithin  a  few  days  before  the  Ii.irv-est  begins.  On  August  20th,  never 
varying  more  three  days,  the  multitudinous  rice  bird  puts  in  his 
appearance.  They  come  in  such  vast  flocks  that  men  and  bo5's  with 
guns  must  be  stationed  at  intervals  in  and  around  the  fields  to  prevent 
the  destruction  of  the  crop.  Six  weeks  after  the  appearance  of  the 
first  head  of  rice,  the  crop  is  ready  for  harvest.  A  sickle  is  used,  the 
laborers  are  paid  by  the  acre  for  cutting  and  tying  into  bundles- 
After  one  da3''s  exposure  it  is  shocked  in  the  field,  and  after  ten  da5^s 
it  is  ready  for  the  barn.  The  threshing  is  done  by  steam,  and  the 
grain,  weighing  forty-five  pounds  to  the  bushel,  is  shipped  in  bags 
and  sold  to  the  miller,  who  cleans  and  grades  it  for  consumption.  To 
Mr.  Fred.  Kidder,  of  Wilmington,  must  be  given  the  credit  for  this 
article.  He  is  a  practical  rice  planter  and  has  been  among  the  most 
successful  in  this  State. 

In  North  Carolina  there  are  about  12,200  acres  devoted  to  this 
crop,  divided  between  upland  and  lowland  varieties,  and  the  annual 
jvield  is  stated  at  about  6,000,000  pounds. 

At  Wilmington  is  located  the  National  Rice  Milling  Company, 
w^hich  handles  a  large  portion  of  the  crops  raised  in  this  and  adjoining 
States.     At  Goldsboro,  a  similar  mill  is  operated,  cleaning  upland  as 

well  as  tide  water  rice. 

THE  PEANUT. 

It  is  said  that  the  peanut  (Arachis  hypcgala)  has  never  been 
found  growing  wild,  and  that  botanists  have  been  unable  to  ascertain 
its  nativity,  though  it  is  claimed  to  have  originated  in  Brazil  and  in 
India;  but  it  is  indigenous  to  most  all  tropical  countries.  It  is  a  ver}^ 
important  crop  in  the  United  States  and  occupies  considerable  atten- 
tion, especially  in  Virginia,  the  Carolinas  and  Tennessee,  where  it  is 
grown  extensively  for  the  markets.  About  one-fourth  of  the  area  of 
North  Carolina  may  be  said  to  be  especially  adapted  to  th2  growth  of 
high  grade  peanuts,  though  the  nut  flourishes  in  all  parts  of  the  State. 
The  region  referred  to  is  the  northeastern  part  of  the  State,  where  it 
is  grown  in  large  quantities.  The  annual  production  for  this  part  of 
North  Carolina  may  be  stated  in  round  numbers  at  500,000  bushels, 
based  upon  the  estimate  of  the  census,  which  is  considered  far  below  the 
real  figures.  Peanuts  are  marketed  by  "factory-men,"  that  is  to  say. 
the  nuts  after  being  dug  are  sold  to  factories  which  put  them  through  a 
slight  polishing  process  and  sort  out  the  faulty  nuts,  when  the  fancy 
factory-cleaned  product  is  so  labeled,  and  sold  in  bags  to  the  trade  all 


1 6-1  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

over  the  world.  Not  infrequently  the  following  legend  adorns  the 
North  Carolina  nut:  "  Fancy  hand-picked  Virginia  peanuts."  This, 
however,  does  not  detract  from  the  excellence  of  the  nut,  but  points 
ovit  the  fact  that  the  factory  is  over  our  northern  border.  There  is  a 
movement  among  our  own  farmers  to  introduce  cleaning  factories 
and  establish  brands,  which,  if  accomplished,  will  greatly  stimulate 
the  production  as  well  as  increase  the  prices  received  by  the  grower. 

OTHER  IMPORTANT  CROPS. 

Besides  the  crops  referred  to  somewhat  in  detail  above,  the 
Department  of  Agriculture  at  Washington  accredits  the  State  with 
producing  in  1895: 

Of  Corn 36,378,412  bushels. 

"  Wheat 4,748,552 

"  Oats 7,652,333 

"  Rye .  437,599 

"  Buckwheat 18,624 

"  Irish  Potatoes 1,461,026 

"  Hay 273,540  tons. 

For  other  products  not  given  b}^  the  Department  of  Agriculture 
for  the  year  1895,  reference  must  be  had  again  to  the  census  report  of 
1890.     This  gives: 

Of  Sweet  Potatoes 5,665,391  bushels. 

"    Rice » 5,846,404  pounds. 

"    Sorghum 1,268,946  gallons. 

"   Apples 7,591,541  bushels. 

"   Peaches 2,740,915  bushels. 

As  stated  elsewhere  the  above  product  of  sweet  potatoes  is  the 
largest  reported  from  any  of  the  States. 

As  evidence  of  the  importance  and  spread  of  smaller  industries, 
the  following,  taken  also  rrom  the  census,  may  be  given.  It  is  con- 
fidently believed  that  the  same  rate  of  increase  has  been  maintained , 
if  not  enlarged,  during  the  last  six  years. 

Dairy  products  increased  from  7,212,507  lbs.  butter  in  1880  to 
13,129,374  lbs.  butter  in  1S90;  poultry  increased  from  2,071,616 
chickens  in  1880  to  7.507,593  chickens  in  1890;  eggs,  from  7,455,132 
doz.  to  11,755,635  doz.;  honey,  from  1,591,590  lbs.  to  2,373,560  lbs. 
Estimated  value  of  all  farm  products  $50,070,530,  for  the  last  census 
year. 


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v^ 


V/ 


GLENOE    STOCK    FARM  -  NEW    RIVER— ONSLOW    COUNTY. 


Model  Farms.  165 


MODEL  FARMS. 


North  Carolina  being  essentially  an  agricultural  State,  it  is 
expected  that  here  are  to  be  found  numbers  of  excellent  farms,  well 
tilled.  The  visitor  to  the  State  will  find  in  each  of  the  counties  some 
farms  which  are  distinguished  for  their  high  state  of  cultivation  and 
conspicuous  because  of  remarkable  yields  annually  harvested.  These 
occur  in  most  all  of  the  counties,  but  it  is  not  of  these,  numerous  and 
profitable  as  they  are,  that  reference  is  to  be  made.  It  is  to  a  class  of 
farms  which  may  be  designated  as  models,  and  which  are  distinguish- 
able for  some  special  feature,  that  will  receive  brief  mention  here. 
Beginning  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  State,  the  first  that  comes  under 
observation  is  the 

Glenoe  Stock  Farm. — The  property  of  Mr.  Thos.  Mclntyre. 
It  is  on  New  river  a  few  miles  below  Jacksonville,  in  Onslow  county, 
and  embraces  a  large  tract  of  level,  sandy  loam,  which  is  highly 
improved  and  is  growing  all  farm  products  and  truck  successfully. 
Besides,  its  barns  are  stocked  with  thorough  and  trotting-bred  horses, 
Jersey,  Holstein  and  other  improved  cattle,  sheep  and  swine.  It  has 
a  large  poultry  division,  embracing  all  the  leading  fowls,  including 
ducks,  geese  and  turkeys. 

OccoNEECHEE  Farm. — This  farm  is  situated  in  Orange  county, 
near  Hillsboro,  and  is  the  property  of  Col.  Julian  S.  Carr,  of  Durham, 
and  like  the  above,  is  a  model  in  its  equipment  of  houses,  barns  and 
of  stock.  Here  some  of  the  most  noted  horses  are  kept,  and  the  best 
types  of  cattle,  sheep  and  swine;  also  all  kinds  of  poultry. 

The  Duke  Farm. — This  farm,  also  in  Orange  county,  is  at  Uni- 
versity Station,  on  the  North  Carolina  branch  of  the  Southern  Rail- 
way system;  it  is  the  property  of  Mr.  W.  Duke,  of  Durham,  and  is  a 
model  in  its  landscape  as  well  as  its  more  practical  agricultural  feat- 
ures. The  farm  has  only  been  in  operation  a  few  years  under  its 
present  ownership,  and  for  so  brief  a  period  exhibits  remarkable 
development,  and  yet  only  presents  a  crude  picture  of  its  future  beauty 
and  usefulness. 

The  Rockwell  Farm. — The  Rockwell  Dairy  farm  in  Rowan 
county,  at  Rockwell  Postoffice,  may  be  taken  as  a  type  of  the  dairy 
farms  which  are  springing  up  all  over  the  State.  This  is  the  property 
of  E.  B.  C.  Hambly,  and  comprises  a  herd  of  more  than  a  hundred  of 
the  choicest  Jersey  cattle  to  be  found  in  this  country,  and  the  farm  is 
conducted  with  a  view  of  keeping  this  herd  in  typical  con- 
dition. 


1 66  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

BSLTMORE  FARMS. 

The  sections  of  the  Biltmore  Estate  now  devoted  to  agricultural 
purposes  are,  with  the  exception  of  the  tract  known  as  the  Plateau 
Farm,  adjacent  to  the  French  Broad  and  Swannanoa  rivers.  The 
farm  lands  cover  the  alluvial  bottoms  and  the  neighboring  hillsides. 
These  bottoms  were  (fortunately  for  the  present  owner)  originally  too 
swampy  to  yield  their  full  fertility  to  the  cultivator.  Now,  however, 
they  are  the  most  productive  portion  of  the  farming  lands.  This 
result  has  been  attained  by  systematic  underdraining  and  deep  culti- 
vation, nearly  two  hundred  miles  of  drain  tile  having  been  laid  in  the 
past  few  years.  The  hillsides  are  a  typical  example  of  those  in  the 
South Vv'hich  have  been  left  to  the  tender  mercies  of  the  "renter." 
Continuous  cropping  without  any  return  of  fertilit}^  shallow  cultiva- 
tion, and  the  washing  down  of  the  thin  top  soils,  had  reduced  most  of 
the  land — never  originally  very  fertile — to  a  condition  in  which  the 
ordinary  farmer  would  have  abandoned  it  to  broom-sedge  and  scrub 
pines.  What  it  is  possible  to  do  w^ith  such  impoverished  soils  five 
years  of  persistent  effort  is  beginning  to  show.  The  introduction  of 
the  clovers  and  cow  peas  into  the  rotation  wherever  possible,  deep 
plowing  and  subsoiling,  together  with  light  yearly  applications  of 
manure  or  bone  meal,  have  increased  the  returns  threefold.  The 
wages  paid  on  these  farms  are  almost  double  the  regular  rates,  and  it 
is  only  b}^  securing  heavy  crops,  far  above  the  average,  that  there  can 
be  any  return  for  the  large  expenditure. 

Nearly  all  the  hillside  fields  have  been  seeded  dovv^n  to  pasture 
and  the  cultivated  crops  concentrated  on  the  bottoms,  where  such 
labor-saving  tools  as  gang-plows,  grain  and  corn  harvesters,  can  be 
profitabl}^  used. 

Many  small  farms  were  included  in  the  purchases  under  which 
the  estate  was  acquired.  The  majority  of  these  were  so  scattered  and 
remote  that  the  only  rational  treatment  was  to  replant  them  with  the 
most  suitable  forest  growths.  Other  tracts  of  cleared  land  were 
turned  over  to  the  landscape  gardener  to  beautify,  or  were  occupied 
by  the  constantly  growing  nursery  department.  Moreover,  the  Abor- 
etum  road,  tired  of  its  picturesque  winding  among  the  hills  and  creeks 
comes  out  into  the  bottoms,  taking  in  one  bold  dash  some  of  the  finest 
farming  land  on  the  estate. 

Certain  fairly  compact  bodies  of  cultivated  land,  amounting  in  all 
to  some  1, 800  acres,  were  retained  for  cropping,  primarily  for  home 
supplies,  viz:  to  feed  the  large  number  of  work  mules  and  horses 
which  were  needed  for  the  heavy  grading,  hauling  of  material  and 
road  building.     Manure  for  landscape  planting  was  also  needed,   and 


OCCONEECHEE    FARM    SCENES. 


BiLTMORE  Farms.  167 


this  was  produced  by  the  beef  cattle  fed  en  the  farms.  The  Sheep 
and  Ferry  farms  were  at  the  same  time  set  aside  for  the  production  of 
mutton  and  pork,  but  the  low  price  of  beef  made  the  cost  of  the 
manure  too  high,  and  after  a  year  spent  in  trying  to  produce  3^2  cent 
steers  profitably,  high  grade  Jersey  cows  were  substituted.  The  sale 
of  milk  and  butter  from  these  was  satisfactory,  since  previous! 3-  all 
the  fancy  butter  consumed  in  Asheville  had  been  imported  from  the 
West.  By  the  use  of  well  bred  Jersej"  sires  on  these  grades,  a  good 
v/orking  dair^'  has  been  graduall}'  built  up. 

The  calls  for  registered  stock,  to  form  or  to  improve  other  herds 
in  the  South,  have  been  so  numerous  that  it  has  been  decided  to  meet 
this- demand.  During  the  last  tv,-elve  months  sevent5"-one  head  of 
highh'-bred  Jerseys  have  been  purchased  from  four  different  herds, 
and  it  is  intended  to  continue  breeding,  purchasing  and  culling  out 
stock,  until  a  herd  is  established  which  will  be  second  to  none.  There 
are  now  over  two  hundred  head  on  the  estate,  half  of  which  are 
registered  stock. 

The  latest  addition  to  the  farms  is  an  extensive  Poultry  Depart- 
ment. Its  object  is  twofold.  First,  the  production  of  broilers,  eggs, 
etc.,  for  the  table  of  the  owner;  secondh',  the  improvement  of  the 
common  barnyard  fowl  of  the  South  b\'  the  introduction  of  better 
stock.  For  nearly  a  year  an  expert  vrho  acts  as  judge  at  the  most 
important  exhibitions  in  the  United  States  and  Canada  has  been  com- 
missioned to  purchase  the  best  stock  procurable.  That  he  has  suc- 
ceeded in  this  effort,  all  will  agree  who  have  inspected  the  pens  of 
Gold  and  Silver  Wyandottes,  Barred  and  White  Plymouth  Rocks, 
Light  Brahmas,  Buff  Cochin  and  Indian  Games.  The  hatchings  from 
these   pens  are  promising  to  make  a  record  at  the  shows  next  autumn. 

In  the  market  gardens  a  call  for  high-class  vegetables  and  small 
fruits  has  been  met  (a  demand  which  is  heaviest  during  the  winter 
months),  by  the  erection  of  a  very  complete  group  of  buildings, 
comprising  forcing  houses,  storage  and  root  houses,  office,  carpenter- 
shop,  shipping  shed,  etc.  This  department  is  conducting  an 
extended  series  of  tests  of  the  varieties  of  vegetables  and  small  fruits 
most  suitable  to  this  region.  Most  of  the  land  is  under  irrigation, 
and  this  sj^stem  will  shortly  be  extended  over  the  whole  thirty  acres, 
making  it,  vv'ith  the  underdrainage,  almost  independent  of  the  rain- 
fall. Everj^  soil  found  in  this  section  is  represented  here,  from  the 
black  muck  to  red  clay  and  almost  pure  sand. 

These  buildings,  with  the  sheep-barns  on  another  farm,  are  the 
first  permanent  buildings  to  be  erected  for  farming  purposes.  It  is 
hardly  necessary  to  say  that  they  are  constructed  on  the  same  liberal 


1 68  North  Caroi^ina  and  its  Resources. 


scale  as  everj'thing  else  on  the  Estate,  of  the  best  and  most  perma- 
nent materials,  and  that  thej^  are  furnished  with  all  that  is  known  to 
increase  the  perfection  of  the  product  or  lessen  the  labor  of  the 
employee. 

Nor  are  those  who  have  a  "sweet  tooth"  forgotten,  for  on  the 
west  side  of  the  French  Broad  river,  where  the  sourwood  is  the 
thickest  and  the  wild  flowers  most  varied  and  luxuriant,  an  apiarj^ 
has  been  placed.  Here  the  gentle,  golden-hued,  Italian  bees,  of 
which  there  are  over  one  hundred  colonies,  produce  delicious  honey, 
both  "comb"  and  "extracted,"  literally  by  the  ton. 

A  flock  of  over  two  hundred  Southdown  sheep  is  kept  on  the 
Sheep  Farm,  and  supplies  mutton  and  lamb  for  consumption  on  the 
Estate.     This  flock  will  be  added  to  largel}- ,  in  the  near  future. 

From  the  Ferry  Farm,  one  hundred  and  forty  Berkshire  and 
grade  Berkshire  swine  were  last  season  made  into  ham,  bacon  and 
sausage,  all  of  which  has  been  consumed  by  employees  of  the  Estate. 

Only  those  branches  of  agriculture  which  are  best  suited  to  these 
mountain  sections,  and  the  study  of  which  will  be  of  benefit  to  the 
neighboring  farmer,  have  been  undertaken;  no  "  fancy  farming"  has 
been  indulged  in,  nor  has  anything  been  done  for  show.  An  elaborate 
system  of  bookkeeping  for  each  department  gives  at  the  end  of  the 
month  the  difference  between  cost  and  receipts.  This  is  done  with 
tie  conviction  that  experiments  are  of  but  little  service  to  the  average 
farmer,  unless  it  can  be  shown  to  him  by  actual  figures  that  improved 
methods  bring  improved  returns. 

The  work  is  conducted  on  so  large  a  scale  that  some  years  are 
still  required  to  bring  all  departments  into  running  order  and  to  per- 
fect the  v/hole  scheme.  When  that  result  is  attained  every  efibrt  will 
be  made  to  give  the  public  the  benefits  of  experiments,  by  means  of 
institute  meetings,  etc.,  in  the  hope  that  some  may  be  encouraged  to 
produce  the  proverbial  two  blades  of  grass  where  one  or  none  has 
grown  before. 

In  the  selection  of  farm  help  preference  is  given  to  young  men, 
many  of  whom  have  already  saved  sufficient  funds  to  purchase  their 
own  farms,  and  are  starting  in  life  with  the  determination  to  carry 
out  a  system  which  will  yearly  give  them  larger  yields,  and,  there- 
fore, better  homes. 

STATE  AGRICULTURAL  SOCIETY, 

The  State  Agricultural  Societj'^  will  hold  this  year,  1896,  its 
tliirty-sixth  annual  fair.  It  has  large  and  conveniently  located 
grounds  near  the  city  of   Raleigh;  fine  half  mile  track,  with  ample 


> 

< 
Z 

m 
O 

C/2 


Horticulture.  169 


buildings  to  cover  all  classes  of  exhibits.  The  society  has  done 
much  to  encourage  agriculture,  and  to  promote  the  raising  of  fine 
horses,  cattle,  sheep  and  swine.  Its  annual  fairs  call  together  not 
onl}^  the  farmers  but  all  classes  of  our  people,  for  social  pleasure  and 
to  compare  notes  and  see  the  progress  made  in  the  avocations  of 
farmer,  trucker,  gardener  and  fruitgrower.  The  fair  is  always  held 
in  October. 

Col.    Benehan    Cameron  is    President,  and    Mr.    John    Nichols, 
Secretarv. 


HORTICULTURE. 


FRUIT  GROWING. 

North  Carolina  has  such  a  varied  climate,  ranging  from  the 
Mountain  region,  with  its  white  pines,  hemlocks  and  firs  to  the  lower 
edge  of  the  Coastal  Plain  region  where  we  come  within  the  northern 
limit  of  the  forest  growth  of  palm  trees,  that  its  capacity  and  adapt- 
ability for  fruit  culture  is  naturally  divided  into  a  number  of  regions. 
For  this  purpose  we  will  divide  the  Coastal  Plain  region  into  two 
sections,  the  low  level  country  bordering  on  the  ocean  and  sounds,  and 
extending  inland  an  average  of  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  miles, 
and  the  Sand  Hill  section  intervening  between  this  and  the  Piedmont 
Plateau  region.  This  last  Plateau  we  also  divide  into  lower  and 
upper  Piedmont,  the  lower  part  extends  to  the  line  of  the  Uharrie 
mountains,  Occoneechee  hills  and  Rougemont;  the  upper  from  these 
to  the  Blue  Ridge.  The  Mountain  region  we  will  consider  as  a 
whole.  For  the  consideration  of  the  capacity  of  fruit  culture  we 
then  make  after  these  general  divisions  of  the  State  five  pomological 
sections. 

The  Coastal  Plain  Section  is  an  extensive  region  of  level  land 
at  a  moderate  elevation  above  the  sea.  The  soil  is  generally  of  a  sandy 
nature,  interspersed  with  occasional  clay  beds,  and  many  wide 
stretches  of  black,  peaty  soil  of  an  almost  inexhaustiL  fertility.  On 
the  higher  sandy  lands  the  peach  and  plum  find  congenial  homes. 
It  is  not  as  a  rule  a  good  apple  country,  the  warm  climate  and  the 
nature  of  the  soil  not  being  favorable  to  the  apple,  but  there  are  very 
good  apples  grown  in  some  parts,  particularly  of  the  early  summer 
sorts  for  the  Northern  markets.  But  the  fruit  which  thrives  here  to  the 
greatest  perfection  of  any  of  the  orchard  fruits  is  the  pear.     Nowhere 


ijo  JNoRTH  Carolina  and  its  Kesources. 

else  do  pears  attain  such  perfection  as  on  the  Coastal  plain,  and 
nowhere  can  the  culture  of  this  fruit  be  carried  on  more  profitably 
with  intelligent  culture,  though  the  culture  at  present  there  is  not 
extensive  except  in  a  few  localities.  Here  is  the  great  home  of  the 
Scuppernong  grape.  In  all  the  Coast  region  this  grape  attains 
greater  perfection  than  any  where  else.  It  is  in  fact  the  native  home 
of  this  grape  and  the  place  from  which  it  has  been  disseminated. 
Seedling  varieties  of  the  same  class  of  grapes  have  originated  in  this 
favored  region.  But  while  the  Scuppernong  is  a  russet  grape  the 
other  varieties  are  almost  invariably  black.  The  finest  of  these 
grapes  of  the  Rottindifolia  class  is  the  Jar-'i'^s,  from  Pitt  Co.,  a  grape 
of  the  largest  size,  fully  as  large  as  a  good  sized  Damson  plum,  and 
decidedly  the  finest  of  its  class.  But  it  is  the  strawberry  that  has 
made  for  itself  a  greater  place  in  the  horticulture  of  the  Coastal 
plain  than  any  other  fruit.  The  soil  seems  particularly  adapted  to 
the  growing  of  the  strawberry  in  the  greatest  perfection,  and  the 
earliness  of  the  climate  makes  the  crop  of  particular  value  for 
northern  shipment.  The  persistent  bearing  of  the  strawberry  in  this 
section  is  a  source  of  w^onder  to  all  who  see  it  for  the  first  time.  In 
the  North,  the  strawberry  season  is  a  short  one  and  soon  over,  but  in 
this  favored  region  the  plants  seem  to  never  know  when  the  season  is 
over.  Strawberries  are  commonly  found  in  abundant  supply  on  the 
tables  of  growers  there  the  middle  of  July,  from  fields  which  sent 
the  fruit  to  market  the  first  week  in  April.  Of  course  the  shipping 
season  for  the  northern  markets  ceases  when  the  supply  north  of  us 
becomes  plentiful,  but  strawberries  can  be  had  most  of  the  summer  in 
this  region.  The  strawberrj^  business  has  reached  large  proportions 
in  the  counties  of  Craven,  I^enoir,  AVaj-ne,  Duplin,  Pender,  New 
Hanover,  and  Columbus,  and  is  one  of  the  most  rapidly  grovdng 
interests  along  the  Atlantic  Coast  Line  railroad.  Blackberries  do 
equally  well  though  there  has  not  been  so  much  attention  paid  to 
their  culture.  The  Lucretia  dewberry,  v^^hich  can  be  shipped  from 
this  section  in  May  has  been  found  to  be  very  profitable  and  its 
culture  as  well  as  that  of  the  high  bush  varieties  is  extending. 
Raspberries  have  not  been  cultivated  to  much  extent,  as  they  are 
found  not  to  ship  so  well  long  distances.  Cherries,  except  the 
Morello  and  Duke  classes  do  not  thrive  well  in  the  Coastal  region. 
The  Chinese  quince  and  the  fine  variety  known  as  the  Champion, 
which  does  not  do  very  well  at  the  North,  would  be  found  profitable 
fruits  here. 


Fruit  Growing.  171 


The  Sand  Hill  Section. — This  is  the  beginning  of  the  great 
sand}'  ridge  that  extends  in  a  southwest  direction  from  North 
Carolina,  through  South  Carolina,  Georgia,  Alabama,  Mississippi, 
Louisiana  and  terminates  in  Texas.  It  extends  in  this  State 
through  parts  of  the  counties  of  Harnett,  Cumberland,  I.Ioore 
and  Richmond,  and  is  a  well  marked  line  of  division  between  the 
Coastal  plain  and  the  lower  Piedmont  regions.  It  is  a  region  of 
elevated  sandy  ridges,  covered  with  a  growth  of  long  leaf  pine,  now 
in  most  sections  very  largely  depleted  by  the  operations  of  the  turpen- 
tine gatherers  and  the  lumbermen,  which  is  being  followed  by  a 
growth  of  scrub  oaks  of  various  species.  Until  recent  years  it  has 
been  a  wild  forest  with  little  attempt  to  cultivate  the  apparently 
barren  soil.  The  dr}^  soil  and  the  balmy  climate  have  of  late  years 
attracted  attention  to  the  region  as  a  winter  resort  for  persons  afflicted 
with  diseases  of  the  throat  and  lungs,  and  the  great  benefit  which  has 
been  received  by  many  who  have  come  there  for  their  health,  h?.3  led 
to  permanent  settlements  of  Northern  people  at  Southern  Pines  and 
Pinehurst  in  Moore  count5^  These  settlers  began  to  experiment  with 
the  cultivation  of  the  soil,  and  it  was  found  that  this  apparently 
barren  soil  has  a  v/onderful  capacity  for  the  cultivation  of  fruits  of 
various  kinds,  particularly  the  grape,  peach  and  blackberry.  About 
the  settlement  know  as  Southern  Pines,  it  is  estimated  that  there  are 
now  about  one  thousand  acres  planted  in  grapes.  These  are  grown 
entirely  for  shipping  as  fresh  fruit  to  the  northern  markets,  in  July  and 
August,  though  some  experiments  have  been  made  in  v.'ine  making. 
Grapes  start  from  this  section  about  the  middle  of  July  and  the  cul- 
ture has  been  found  remunerative  to  those  who  have  given  their 
vinej^ards  proper  attention.  The  Delaware  and  Niagara  grapes  grown 
here  are  noted  as  the  best  that  reach  the  northern  markets.  More 
recently  the  peach  has  been  planted.  One  orchard  of  three  hundred 
and  fifty  acres  paid  in  the  fourth  5^ear,  a  profit  of  twenty  per  cent,  on 
its  cost  in  its  first  crop,  and  peaches  are  being  planted  more  exten- 
sively than  an}'  other  fruit;  several  hundred  acres  being  set  out 
the  present  spring  (i8g6).  The  blackberry,  mainly  the  Wilson  Earl}'- 
variety,  has  been  largely  planted,  and  as  the  fruit  reaches  the 
northern  market  before  strawberries  are  ripe  they  have  been  very 
profitable.  Some  have  grown  the  I^ucretia  dewberry,  which  goes  to 
market  the  last  of  Ma}',  and  it  has  been  found  to  be  particularly 
profitable.  Few  experiments  have  been  made  here  with  straw- 
berries, but  there  is  evidence  that  in  proper  locations  they  will  be  a 
very  profitable  crop.  It  is  believed  that  other  fruits  can  be  grown 
equally  Vv'ell  here,  such  as  the  Japanese  and  American  plums,  and 


172  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

some  planting  has  been  done.  The  State  Horticultural  Society  in 
connection  with  and  under  the  supervision  of  the  N.  C.  Agricultural 
Experiment  Station,  has  organized  an  extensive  series  of  experiments 
with  fertilizers  on  fruits  of  various  kinds  and  vegetables  which  it  is 
hoped  will  develop  results  of  value  to  this  section.  At  present  it 
seems  to  be  the  peach  and  grape  region  par  excellence  of  the  State. 
The  low  price  of  land,  and  the  ease  with  which  it  can  be  placed  under 
cultivation,  together  with  the  healthy  climate  and  splendid  water,  are 
attracting  a  class  of  intelligent  settlers  from  the  North,  and  the  coun- 
try will  soon  become  a  community  of  fruit  growers.  It  is  elevated 
above  the  humid  climate  of  the  coast  from  five  hundred  to  six  hun- 
dred feet,  w^hile  the  winter  climate  is  warmer  than  that  of  the  Mountain 
region  and  the  dry  air  is  very  soothing  to  invalids,  who  can  spend 
nearly  all  the  winter  in  the  open  air. 

As  intimated,  the  peach  thrives  in  the  Sand  Hill  region  as  well 
as  the  grape,  and  the  development  of  the  culture  of  this  fruit  has 
of  late  outstripped  even  the  grape  there.  The  most  notable  orchard 
there  is  that  owned  by  the  J.  Van  I^indley  Company,  near  Southern 
Pines.  This  Company  has  now  in  bearing  over  three  hundred  and 
fifty  acres  in  peaches,  and  has  extended  its  planting  the  present  spring 
(1896),  to  the  extent  of  about  one  hundred  acres  more.  The  inten- 
tion is  to  make  the  orchard  finally  cover  one  thousand  acres. 
The  crop  from  this  orchard,  in  1895,  was  the  first  crop  from  the  trees, 
and  is  said  to  have  paid  twenty  per  cent,  on  the  investment  on  the 
whole  tract  of  over  one  thousand  acres.  The  same  Company  has 
planted  about  ten  thousand  pear  trees,  which  are  in  a  flourishing  con- 
dition, but  not  as  yet  in  a  bearing  state.  The  success  of  this  large 
peach  orchard  has  greatly  stimulated  the  planting  of  trees  in  the 
Saud  Hill  country,  and  the  available  land  in  the  immediate  vicinity 
of  the  railroads,  is  rapidly  being  taken  up  and  advancing  in  price. 

Experiments. — The  State  Horticultural  Society  has  lately  under- 
taken, in  connection  with  the  Agricultural  Experiment  Station,  the 
most  extensive  experiments  in  the  fertilization  of  fruit  trees,  vines 
and  vegetables  that  have  ever  been  attempted  in  the  United  States. 
The  grounds  are  situated  near  the  great  Eiudley  peach  orchard,  in 
the  vicinity  of  Southern  Pines,  and  comprise  two  separate  plats  cover- 
ing about  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  land.  The  grounds  are 
accurately  staked  out  into  tenth  and  twentieth  acre  plats,  with  walks 
and  drives  separating  them,  and  the  experiments  are  made  in  various 
series  to  test  the  proper  mode  of  applying  fertilizers  to  promote  the 
growth  of  fruits  and  vegetables,  every  conceivable  variation  being 
made  so  as  to  get  at  the  proper  combinations  of  the  various  forms 


Fruit  Growing.  173 


of  plant  foods  and  re-agents.  This  work,  being  done  with  the  greatest 
exactness  by  experts,  will  be  of  great  help  to  those  engaging  in 
the  culture  of  fruits  and  vegetables  in  this  locality.  These  grounds 
will  soon  be  one  of  the  most  attractive  resorts  to  the  visitors  and 
residents  of  this  section,  and  cannot  fail  to  be  of  value  to  any  student 
of  fruit  or  vegetable  culture. 

Lower  Piedmont  Section. — Less  attention  has  been  given  to 
the  culture  of  fruit  in  this  section  of  the  State  than  in  any  other.  It 
includes  the  great  cotton  growing  section,  and  the  bright  tobacco 
belt,  and  these  crops  have  absorbed  the  attention  of  cultivators  to  the 
exclusion  of  everything  else.  But  that  fruits  will  thrive  here  has 
been  proved  by  experience  in  many  localities.  A  few  years  ago  around 
Raleigh,  there  were  extensive  vineyards  and  the  shipping  of  fruit 
paid  well.  But  many  of  the  grov/ers  were  discouraged  and  the 
industry  is  not  being  pushed.  It  has  been  shown  by  the  success  of 
those  who  have  kept  at  the  work  and  have  used  the  approved  methods 
of  spraying  the  vines  or  of  bagging  the  fruit,  that  grapes  can  still  be 
made  a  source  of  profit  if  properly  managed.  Apples  do  well  in  this 
section  if  properly  cared  for,  and,  on  the  exposed  uplands,  the  peach 
and  plum  will  make  profitable  crops.  On  the  warm  slopes  there  is 
always  danger  that  the  trees  will  bloom  prematurely  and  be  caught 
by  late  frosts.  In  all  this  section  of  the  State,  the  culture  of  small 
fruits  can  be  made  a  profitable  industry.  Around  Raleigh,  the  culture 
of  plums  has  proved  profitable,  particularly  the  Japan  varieties  and 
the  American  sorts  like  the  Wild  Goose. 

Upper  Piedmont  Section. — This  section,  including  the  great 
stretch  of  rolling  uplands,  from  the  Uharrie  range  to  the  crest  of  the 
Blue  Ridge,  is  one  of  the  best  regions  for  general  farming  in  the  south, 
and  the  lands  are  everywhere  capable  of  a  high  degree  of  cultivation. 
While  considerably  worn  in  some  parts,  there  are  wide  areas  of  very 
fertile  soil,  particularly  along  the  courses  of  the  rivers  flowing  from 
the  mountains.  The  valley  of  the  Yadkin  is  famous  for  the  fertility 
of  its  bottom  lands  and  there  are  many  fine  bodies  of  land  along  the 
valley  of  the  Catawba,  Vv'hile  all  along  the  foot  hills  of  the  Blue  Ridge 
there  are  valley  lands  of  exhuberant  fertility.  Fruits  of  all  kinds 
thrive  well  in  this  favored  region,  and  there  is  a  greater  exemption 
from  untimely  spring  frosts  than  in  any  other  section.  Along  the 
Blue  Ridge  are  found  the  famous  thermal  belts,  where  destructive 
frosts  are  comparatively  unknown,  and  where  the  fruit  crops  are  more 
certain  than  anywhere  else.  These  belts  are  found  along  the  slopes 
of  the  Brushy  mountains,  in  Wilkes,  and  other  counties,  particularly 
in  Polk,    and   in   this   latter   county   there   are  quite   a   number  of 


174  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


people  from  the  north  settled  and  engaged  in  fruit  culture.  The 
frostless  belts  are  found  along  the  east  slopes  of  the  mountains,  and 
seem  caused  by  the  settling  of  the  cold  air  at  night  into  the  vallej^s, 
pushing  up  the  warm  air,  and  they  show  a  luxuriant  green  in  the 
autumn  long  after  frost  has  browned  everything  in  the  valley 
below.  The  same  influences  protect  the  blooming  trees  in  the  spring. 
All  over  these  uplands,  and  particularly  in  the  upper  part  next  the 
mountain  barrier,  fruit  trees  of  all  kinds  flourish  with  proper  attention, 
and  many  diseases  that  affect  them  in  more  northern  localities  are 
unknown.  The  culture  of  apples  will  prove  a  most  remunerative 
business,  when  undertaken  by  intelligent  cultivators  and  with  the 
proper  varieties.  Many  apples  are  grown  there  already,  but  as  a 
rule,  the  varieties  most  popular  in  the  North,  are  not  grown  to  the 
extent  they  should  be.  The  exhibits  from  North  Carolina  and  Vir- 
ginia, at  tiie  Chicago  Exposition,  opened  the  eyes  of  apple  dealers 
north  to  the  great  value  of  certain  varieties  that  grow  here  to  greater 
perfection  than  elsewhere.  This  is  particularly  true  as  to  the  Wine- 
sap  and  the  York  Imperial  apples.  The  latter  variety  is  grown  to 
some  extent  under  the  name  of  Johnson's  Fine  Winter.  During  the 
past  winter,  (iSgs-'go,')  these  two  varieties  of  apples  from  North  Caro- 
lina and  Virginia,  have  brought  higher  prices  in  New  York  and  in 
Liverpool  than  any  other  apple,  not  excepting  the  famous  Albemarle 
Pippin,  of  Virginia.  In  the  black  soil  of  the  mountain  coves,  the 
Albemarle  Pippin  thrives  as  well  as  in  its  native  localitj'.  But  theV/ine- 
sap  and  the  York  Imperial  thrive  over  a  wider  range  of  country  and 
there  are  fortunes  in  the  cultivation  of  these  two  apples  in  this  section. 
On  the  breezy  uplands  the  peach  reaches  greater  perfection  than  any- 
where, except  in  the  Sand  Hill  countr)^;  and  in  the  neighborhood  of 
Greensboro  there  are  profitable  orchards.  In  no  section  of  the  State  do 
cherries  reach  such  perfection,  and  the  fine  cherries  of  this  section  sell 
next  to  the  product  from  California  in  the  New  York  market,  bring- 
ing at  times  as  high  as  forty  cents  per  pound.  On  the  foothills  the 
cherry  will  prove  a  most  remunerative  fruit  crop.  While  the  finer 
cherries  do  not  thrive  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  State,  they  here 
reach  their  highest  perfection.  Plums  of  the  American  and  Japa- 
nese varieties  are  grown  to  a  considerable  extent  and  have  been  found 
to  pay  well.  Pears  also  succeed  well,  and  should  be  largelj'-  grown. 
Grapes  for  wine  making  are  grown  to  some  extent  and  the  fruit  is  of 
remarkably  fine  quality.  By  grafting  on  the  native  roots,  and  paying 
attention  to  spraying  to  prevent  mildew,  the  fine  varieties  of  the 
European  grapes  can  be  grown  to  great  perfection.  The  possibilities 
in  this  line  are  but  just  being  appreciated,  and  it  is  believed    that 


Fruit  Growing.  175 


success  will  attend  the  experiment.  Sir-^U  fruits  of  all  kinds  do 
remarkably  well,  and  should  be  grown  for  home  use  and  local  markets, 
but  for  northern  markets  the  crop  from  this  section  would  be  fore- 
stalled by  the  crops  of  warmer  soils,  so  that  it  would  hardly  pay  to 
grow  them  for  this  purpose.  With  intelligent  and  skillful  culture 
and  skill  in  packing  and  shipping,  the  varieties  of  apples  named  will 
prove  the  most  profitable  fruit  for  this  region,  particularly  in  the 
upper  section  next  the  mountains.  The  cheapness  of  land,  the  sunny 
climate  and  short  winters  combine  to  make  this  section  a  paradise  for 
fruit  growers.  And  when,  in  addition,  we  find  health  and  good  water 
there  is  hardly  anything  left  above  to  desire.  Though  somewhat 
colder  bj^  reason  of  elevation  above  the  sea  than  the  part  of  the  State 
east  of  it,  the  upper  Piedmont  country  is  still  a  region  of  abounding 
sunshine  in  vrinter,  and  would  make  a  delightful  change  to  those  tired 
of  the  frigid  cold  and  deep  snows  of  the  North.  The  most  enthusiastic 
admirers  of  this  region  are  the  settlers  from  the  North  who  have  made 
homes  there. 

The  Mountain  Section. — This  is  the  region  of  high  plateaus 
and  elevated  vallej's  between  the  Blue  Ridge  on  the  east  and  the  Great 
Smok:^  range  that  separates  the  State  from  Tennessee.  This  region  is 
the  home  of  the  apple,  and  is  destined  to  become  the  greatest  apple 
growing  region  in  America  v.-hen  its  capabilities  in  this  respect  are 
fully  knov.m  to  fruit  growers.  Though  the  apple  thrives  here  under 
the  most  negligent  treatment  and  produces  unfailing  crops,  there  have 
been  few  attempts  to  grovv^  the  fruit  in  a  systematic  manner,  and  the 
ignorance  among  the  growers  as  to  the  proper  manner  of  culling,  pack- 
ing and  shipping  has  caused  the  fruit  of  the  mountain  countr}^  to  have 
a  reputation  that  it  does  not  deser\^e.  From  the  early  settlement  of 
the  country  apples  have  been  grown  there  from  seed,  and  there  is 
an  embarrassment  of  riches  in  the  shape  of  varieties  that  is  unknown 
elsewhere.  Many  of  these  native  seedling  apples  are  of  fine  quality, 
while  many  are  of  inferior  varieties,  there  having  been  a  great 
•tendency  to  grow  seedlings  of  the  lyimbertwig  class,  because  of  their 
productiveness  and  keeping  qualities,  though  of  a  ver}-  inferior 
quality.  The  Bufi",  a  dr}'  poor  apple  of  the  showy  Ben  Davis  style  is 
also  largely  grovv'n.  But  that  any  of  the  finer  apples  can  be  grown 
there  to  great  perfection  is  bej^ond  doubt,  as  has  been  shown  hy 
those  who  have  planted  them.  Then  there  are  many  of  the  native 
apples  that  are  of  such  quality  as  to  deserve  propagation  and 
increased  cultivation.  Here  too  the  Winesap  and  the  York  Imperial 
reach  great  perfection,  and  here  too  they  should  be  largely  grown. 
The  size  to  which  apple  trees  attain  here  is  a  source  of  wonder  to 


176  North  Carolina  and  its  Resourchs. 


those  who  have  been  accustomed  to  the  trees  in  the  North.  In  one 
orchard  in  Haywood  county  was  measured  a  tree  that  had  a  girth  of 
eleven  feet  and  nine  inches,  and  in  the  same  orchard,  which  had 
never  been  cultivated  there  were  a  hundred  other  trees  that  were 
full  three  feet  in  diameter  of  trunk,  and  all  in  the  most  luxuriant 
health.  All  that  is  needed  here  is  a  population  of  fruit  growers  who 
understand  the  culture  and  handling  of  winter  apples.  Apples  of 
the  northern  varieties  grown  in  Watauga  county,  are  hardly  recog- 
nizable because  of  their  greater  size  and  beauty.  With  good  rail- 
road connections  southward  (the  natural  market  for  the  fruit  of 
this  section)  the  growing  of  apples  cannot  fail  to  be  profitable.  And 
when  is  added  to  this  the  general  fertility  of  the  soil,  the  pure  cold 
water,  fine  grasses  for  dairy  purposes,  and  the  superb  mountain  scenery 
with  the  phenominally  light  snow  fall,  we  have  a  region  that  combines 
all  the  advantages  of  the  North  in  its  bracing  climate,  with  the  added 
advantages  of  a  short  winter,  abounding  sunshine  and  little  snow. 
It  is  a  paradise  for  the  stock  raiser,  the  dairj'-man  and  the  fruit 
grower  It  must  not  be  assumed  that  the  apple  is  the  only  fruit  that 
will  thrive  in  these  valleys  and  elevated  plateaus.  In  some  parts  of 
the  mountain  region  the  peach  grows  to  great  perfection,  while  in 
some  parts  it  is  not  as  successful  as  further  east.  But  cherries, 
plums,  quinces  and  pears  are  perfectly  at  home,  and  the  grape  reaches 
a  high  degree  of  excellence,  and  wine  of  the  finest  kind  is  being 
made.  In  Buncombe  county,  Col.  Hoyt  reports  that  he  is  succeeding 
in  growing  the  Vinifera  grapes  by  grafting  them  on  the  native  roots, 
and  the  wine  from  his  vineyards  is  gaining  an  enviable  reputation. 
Small  fruits  thrive  v^ith  great  perfection,  and  in  the  valleys  of  the 
northwestern  part  of  this  section  the  cranberry  is  indigenous. 

NATIVE  FRUITS. 

The  northern  Fox  grape  (Vitis  I^abrusca)  extends  to  a  limited 
extent  into  North  Carolina  in  the  upper  districts  of  the  State.  The 
Muscadine,  (Vitis  Vulpina,)  the  southern  Fox  grape  has  its  home  in 
North  Carolina  and  here  have  originated  all  the  valuable  varieties  of 
this  species  in  cultivation.  They  have  all  so  far  as  we  are  av/are 
been  found  as  wild  plants  and  none  have  been  the  result  of  the 
gardener's  efforts.  The  best  known  of  the  varieties  of  this  grape  is 
the  scuppernong,  so  called  from  the  Scuppernong  river  near  which  it  was 
found  several  hundred  years  ago.  This  is  believed  to  be  the  veritable 
grape  alluded  to  by  Amadas  and  Barlowe,  Lieutenants  exploring 
under  Sir  Waiter  Raleigh,  and  landing  on  Roanoke  Island  in  1584; 
described  as  follows:     "We  view^ed  the  land  about  us,  being,  where 


Native  Fruits.  177 


we  first  landed  very  sandy  and  low  toward  the  water  side,  but  so  full 
of  grapes  as  the  very  beating  and  surge  of  the  sea  overflowed  them, 
of  which  we  found  such  plenty  as  well  there  as  in  all  places  else,  both 
on  the  sand  and  on  the  green  soil,  on  the  hills  as  in  the  plains,  as 
well  as  on  every  little  shrub,  as  also  climbing  towards  the  tops  of 
high  cedars  that  I  think  in  all  the  world  the  like  abundance  is  not  to  be 
found;  and  myself  having  seen  those  parts  of  Europe  that  most  abound, 
find  such  difference  as  were  incredible  to  be  written."  In  commen- 
ting on  this.  Dr.  Hawks,  in  his  History  of  North  Carolina  says: 
"The  scuppernong  derives  its  name  from  Scuppernong  creek  or  river, 
at  the  north  of  Albemarle  sound.  The  first  vine  was  found  in  Tyrrel 
county  by  some  of  the  first  explorers  under  Amadas  and  Barlowe, 
and  tradition  relates  that  they  transplanted  a  small  vine  with  its 
roots,  to  Roanoke  Island.  That  vine  is  yet  alive  and  covers  an 
immense  extent  of  ground."  In  still  further  commenting  he  says: 
"In  the  time  of  I^awson  (1714),  there  were  six  varieties  of  native 
grape  known  to  him,  which  he  particularly  describes:  *  *  two 
kinds  of  black  bunch  grapes  *  *  and  four  varieties  of  fox 
grape  *  *  Besides  these,  Lawson  says  he  once  saw  a  spontaneous 
white  bunch  grape  in  North  Carolina,"  which  we  believe  to  be  the 
Scuppernong  of  to-day  and  is  evidently  the  seedling  from  the  black 
grape  described  above.  Since  then  some  other  valuable  varieties  of 
the  Vulina  species  have  been  found  growing  wild  and  have  been 
brought  under  cultivation.  These  are  the  Meish,  Thomas,  Flowers 
and  more  recently  the  James.  This  last  variety  has  qualities  which 
seem  to  place  it  at  the  head  of  all  the  grapes  of  its  class.  The 
berries  are  immense,  probably  the  largest  of  any  of  our  native  grapes. 
The  skin  is  thinner  than  any  other  Vulpina,  and  the  quality  is  fine 
both  for  the  table  and  for  wine.  The  clusters  are  much  larger  than 
those  of  the  Scuppernong  and  while  the  Scuppernong  is  of  a  greenish 
russet  color  the  James  is  a  glossy  jet  black,  destitute  of  bloom,  as  all 
the  varieties  are.  Grapes  of  this  class  are  always  grown  on  hori- 
zontal trellises  or  arbors  and  thrive  best  with  this  mode  of  training. 
The  impression  has  long  been  prevalent  that  this  class  of  grapes 
should  never  be  pruned,  and  the  result  is  that  everywhere  in  the 
State  the  vines  are  seen  with  immense  masses  of  wood  scrambling 
over  rude  rail  arbors,  fresh  support  being  added  till  they  cover  acres 
of  land.  The  fact  is  that  these  grapes  are  peculiar  in  their  mode  of 
fruiting,  and,  are  benefitted  by  proper  pruning  as  much  as  any.  But 
the  pruning  that  suits  the  northern  L,abrusca,  Aestivalis  Riparia  and 
others  that  bear  their  fruit  on  the  one  year  old  wood  will  not  do  for 
the  Vulpina  class  which  bear  their  fruit  on  wood  two  years  old.     The 


178  North  Caroi^ina  and  its  Resources. 

pruning  must  be  so  directed  as  to  preserve  a  suitable  supply  of  two 
year  old  canes,  and  cut  away  the  old  and  gnarled  wood.  Vines 
treated  in  this  way  can  be  restrained  within  reasonable  bounds  and 
the  production  of  fruit  to  a  given  area  be  greatly  increased.  This 
class  of  grapes  is  destined  to  be  the  great  wine  grape  of  the  south, 
particularly  on  the  sandy  soils  of  the  Coast  plain,  where  they  reach 
their  greatest  perfection.  When  subjected  to  skillful  treatment  by 
expert  horticulturists  there  is  no  doubt  that  great  improvement  will 
yet  be  made  in  the  quality  of  the  grapes.  Some  efforts  have  been 
made  in  the  past  to  cross  them  with  the  lyabrusca  and  Vinifera 
species,  but  the  cross  seems  to  be  too  violent,  and  no  success  has 
been  had  in  this  line.  The  true  line  to  work  upon  seems  to  be  to 
select  the  best  varieties  and  grow  them  from  seed  and  by  gradual 
selection  and  the  rejection  of  inferior  ones  to  gradually  improve  them 
in  the  desired  qualities.  This  Vv^ork  will  be  undertaken  at  the  North 
Carolina  Agricultural  Experiment  Station,  and  it  is  hoped  that 
varieties  of  value  may  be  the  result.  So  far  the  only  russet  colored 
variety  of  value  is  the  Scuppernong,  and  it  is  said  that  the  seedlings 
from  this  always  result  in  black  grapes.  Still,  as  little  has  been  done 
in  the  line  of  growing  seedlings  from  the  Vulpina  class  there  is  good 
reason  to  believe  that  intelligent  efforts  in  this  line  will  be  rewarded 
by  success. 

VINEYARDS. 

The  Medoc  Vineyard,  in  Halifax  county,  now  owned  by  the 
Messrs.  Garrett,  is  one  of  the  largest  wine-making  establishments  in 
the  State.  The  vineyard  was  originally  planted  with  scuppernong 
vines  exclusively  by  Rev.  Sidnej^  Weller.  Messrs.  Garrett  have 
added  largely  other  varieties  and  have  increased  the  output.  Much 
Scuppernong  wine  is  still  made,  and  it  is  said  that  five  barrels  have 
been  made  from  a  single  vine.  In  favorable  seasons  the  crop  from 
this  vineyard  is  about  175,000  gallons.  Good  brandy  is  also  made. 
The  wines  from  this  vineyard  have  a  high  reputation  all  over  the 
country. 

Tokay  Vineyard. — A  few  miles  north  of  Fayetteville  is 
another  vineyard  largely  devoted  to  the  Scuppernong  for  wine  mak- 
ing, belonging  to  Col.  Wharton  J.  Green.  He  has  very  complete 
arrangements  for  the  manufacture  and  storage  of  wine,  and  the 
product  is  making  a  national  reputation.  About  100,000  gallons  are 
produced  annually.  A  writer  in  a  northern  journal  speaking  of  the 
wines  of  this  Tokay  vineyard  says:  "In  general  characteristics  they 
resemble  the  Spanish   and   Madeira   wines,  and   the  sweet  white  is 


Vineyards.  179 

not  unlike  the  Califoruia  Mission,  tliough  much  more  delicate  in 
bouquet,  and,  when  given  proper  age,  approaches  the  closest  to  a 
fine  old  Madeira  of  any  wine  yet  produced  in  this  country.  This 
Vv^ine  will  constitute  a  basis  for  a  good  sherry  wine  when  made  with 
that  view,  and  we  have  seen  some  samples  of  such  from  these  vine- 
yards which  strongly  resemble  old  brown  sherry  and  would  do  credit 
to  any  gentleman's  sideboard  or  private  cellar.  Other  samples  again 
made  from  the  Flowers,  a  black  Scuppernong  seedling,  a  drj^  wine, 
resemble  certain  red  wines  of  Hungar3',  already  highly  esteemed  in 
this  country,  and  as  a  sweet  wine,  bears  a  close  relation  to  the  "Span- 
ish Red." 

The  Bordeaux  Vineyards  of  Mr.  James  M.  Pearce,  near  Fa}^- 
etteville,  are  largely  planted  in  Scuppernongs,  the  fruit  from  which  is 
shipped  to  other  parts  of  the  State.  There  are  also  large  vinej-ards  of 
Scuppernongs  near  Wilmington,  and  near  "Whiteville,  in  Columbus 
county. 

The  Engadine  Vineyards,  of  Col.  Hoyt,  in  Buncombe  county, 
not  far  from  Asheville,  we  have  already  noted.  The  Scuppernong  is  not 
grown  here,  as  it  does  not  do  well  in  the  mountain  countr}-,  but  the 
wines  made  here  are  of  excellent  quality  and  reputation.  In  the 
great  and  nevv4y  developed  grape  region  about  Southern  Pines,  in  the 
Sand  Hill  region,  no  attempts  of  importance  have  been  made  in  wine 
making,  as  the  shipping  of  the  early  fruit  has  been  too  profitable  to 
allow  it.  But  it  is  likely  that  in  the  near  future,  the  wine  interest 
will  be  developed  here  too.  This  region  is  singularly  exempt  from 
the  rot  and  other  diseases  that  so  annoy  grape  growers  in  other  sec- 
tions of  the  country,  and  this  fact  alone  renders  the  culture  more 
profitable.  The  exemption  from  disease  is  also  another  inducement 
for  the  extension  of  the  culture  of  the  Scuppernong  and  other  sorts 
of  the  Vulpina  species,  as  these  seem  perfectly  exempt  from  the 
fungus  and  insect  troubles  that  annoy  growers  of  other  species. 

Happy  Vali^Ey  Vineyard. — This  vineyard  is  in  Cumberland 
count}^,  near  Fayetteville,  and  is  almost  exclusivel}^  a  Scuppernong 
vineyard,  containing  some  four  hundred  acres.  It  has  one  vine 
covering  a  space  seventy-two  by  eightj^-four  feet,  illustrating  very 
beautifully  the  character  of  the  Scuppernong,  and  it  is  very  pro- 
ductive, producing  annually  thirty  or  more  bushels  of  grapes.  Mr. 
G.  W.  Lawrence,  the  proprietor,  is  an  enthusiastic  advocate  of  the 
Scuppernong,  both  as  a  table  and  as  a  wine  grape,  his  cellar  being 
loaded  with  the  finest  bright  yellow  wines. 


i8o  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

NURSERIES. 

While  the  nursery  business  has  not  reached  the  point  of  develop- 
ment in  North  Carolina  that  it  has  northward,  there  are  nevertheless 
some  extensive  and  well  conducted  establishments,  which  have  the 
confidence  of  the  people.  It  is  a  matter  of  great  importance  to 
planters  of  the  peach,  especially,  that  they  should  get  trees  grown  at 
home,  for  the  disease  known  as  the  "  Yellows,"  which  is  decimating 
the  orchards  north,  is  unknown  in  North  Carolina,  and  growers 
should  take  every  precaution  to  prevent  the  introduction  of  the 
disease  with  trees  brought  from  infected  regions.  The  leading 
nurseries  in  the  State  are  the  following: 

The  Pomona  Nurseries. — These  nurseries  are  situated  near 
the  city  of  Greensboro,  at  Pomona.  They  are  conducted  and  owned 
by  Mr.  J.  Van  Lindley,  one  of  the  leading  members  of  the  American 
Pomological  Society,  and  of  the  North  Carolina  Horticultural  Society, 
and  who  is  largely  interested  in  the  culture  of  fruit  both  in  North 
Carolina  and  other  southern  states.  Mr.  lyindley  was  born  a  nursery- 
man, as  his  father  followed  the  business  before  him,  and  by  his  energy 
and  enterprise  in  getting  the  newest  and  best  adapted  fruits  for  the 
State  has  done  a  great  deal  to  advance  pomology  in  North  Carolina, 
and  has  built  up  an  extensive  business,  producing  fruit  trees  of  all 
sorts  by  the  million.  The  extent  of  this  nursery  is  shown  by  the 
fact  that  there  are  now  625,000  apple  trees  of  various  ages,  five  acres 
of  apple  seedlings  for  grafting,  400,000  peaches  will  be  budded  the 
summer  of  1896,  and  there  are  100,000  plum  stocks  for  grafting, 
besides  many  thousands  of  apricots,  nectarines,  cherries,  mulberries, 
grapes,  pecans,  English  walnuts,  Japan  chestnuts,  with  many  thous- 
ands of  roses  and  ornamental  trees  and  shrubbery.  Four  green- 
houses are  used  in  the  propagation  and  growth  of  ornamental  plants. 
The  nurseries  occupy  about  three  hundred  acres  of  land. 

Greensboro  Nurseries. — These  nurseries  are  in  the  same 
neighborhood  as  the  Pomona  nurseries,  and  this  business  is  more  ex- 
tensive about  Greensboro  than  elsewhere  in  the  State.  Mr.  John  A. 
Young  is  the  proprietor.  They  are  east  of  the  city  of  Greensboro,  and 
have  at  various  times  been  under  the  management  of  difierent  owners, 
but  have  been  under  the  present  ownership  since  1884.  The  nurseries 
occupy  two  hundred  and  seventy-five  acres  of  fine  land.  Thirty  to 
forty  men  are  annually  employed  as  traveling  agents  and  the  trade 
is  mainly  in  this  State,  Georgia,  Alabama,  Mississippi,  lyouisiana 
and  Virginia.  An  average  of  thirty-five  men  are  employed  in  the 
nursery  grounds.     The  Comet  and    the   Greensboro    peaches   were 


TRUCKING  — ATLANTIC    &    NORTH    CAROLINA    RAILROAD. 


Nurseries.  i8i 


introduced  by  this  nursery  and  are  rapidly  becoming  standard 
varieties.  The  Greensboro  is  the  newest  peach  and  is  owned  jointly 
by  Messrs.  Young  and  Ivindley. 

Thk  Cedar  Grove  Nurseries  are  situated  at  Shore,  Yadkin 
county,  and  conducted  by  N.  W.  Craft.  The  soil  and  climate  are 
favorable  to  the  propagation  of  all  varieties  of  ornamental,  nut  and 
fruit  trees,  as  well  as  vines,  shrubs  and  plants;  all  of  which  are  kept 
in  large  numbers. 

Underdown  Nurseries. — These  nurseries  were  established 
some  twenty  years  ago,  near  lycnoir,  in  Caldwell  county.  The  work 
is  confined  to  fruits  and  grapes,  and  only  such  varieties  as  are  known 
by  test  to  suit  the  surrounding  region  are  propagated.  These  embrace 
among  other  specialties,  the  follov/ing  apples:  Baldwin,  Blackburn, 
Buckingham,  Magnum  Bonum,  Edwards,  Tuttle,  Coffer,  Cragg, 
Winesap  and  the  never  failing  I,imbertwig. 

Other  Nurseries. — Besides  the  above,  there  are  a  number  of 
important  nurseries,  viz.:  Allen  Warren  &  Son,  Greenville;  O.  W. 
Blacknall,  Kittrell;  H.  P.  Kelsey,  Kawana,  Mitchell  county;  S.  &  P. 
Bilyeu,  Southern  Pines,  and  others. 

TRUCKING. 

Years  ago,  before  the  advent  of  Peruvian  guano  the  cultivation  of 
vegetables  for  the  great  city  markets  was  confined  to  the  immediate 
vicinity  of  the  cities,  where  large  supplies  of  stable  manure  could  be 
had,  and  for  years  after  the  farmers  had  got  to  using  commercial 
fertilizers  on  grain  crops  it  was  the  general  opinion  of  gardeners  that 
their  crops  imperatively  demanded  stable  manure,  and  that  the  com- 
mercial fertilizers  would  not  produce  the  crops  of  the  trucker  as  well 
as  manure.  The  means  of  rapid  transportation  from  distant  points 
was  not  so  perfected  that  the  products  of  southern  climes  could 
be  laid  down  at  the  doors  of  the  northern  consumers  at  unseasonable 
times.  But  as  the  farmers  in  the  warm,  sandy  lands  of  New  Jersey 
began  to  experiment  with  fertilizers,  and  to  grow  crops  like  early  peas 
and  potatoes  with  them,  the  growers  about  the  vicinity  of  New  York 
and  other  large  northern  cities  began  to  admit  that  for  these  crops 
the  fertilizers  might  do,  but  that  for  the  early  cabbage  the  stable 
manure  must  be  had,  and  that  many  other  crops  which  they  grew 
were  too  bulky  to  admit  of  the  far  away  growers  producing,  even  if 
they  could  grow  them  without  stable  manure.  But  gradually  the 
growers  about  the  cities  got  to  experimenting  with  the  new  fertilizers 
and  found  that  they  could  use  them  profitably  as  the  supplies  of  stable 
manure  grew  more  in  demand  and  were  only  to  be  had  at  a  higher 


1 82  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

price.  Then  the  means  of  transportation  became  better  and  better, 
and  some  enterprising  men  began  to  experiment  in  the  growing  of 
vegetables  and  small  fruits  around  Norfolk,  Va.  But  at  first  they 
were  so  wedded  to  the  old  notions  about  stable  manure  that  they  pur- 
chased large  quantities  both  from  Norfolk  and  in  cargoes  by  sea  from 
the  north,  paying  at  times  as  high  as  ten  cents  per  bushel  for  the  manure 
on  their  farms.  Gradually  the  cheaper  and  more  easily  transported 
fertilizers  took  the  place  of  the  bulky  and  expensive  stable  manure, 
and  the  business  was  greatly  stimulated.  The  war  broke  up  the  Nor- 
folk development  for  a  time,  but  after  its  close  the  business  was 
resumed  with  greater  energy  than  ever.  The  northern  people  had 
got  in  the  habit  of  expecting  supplies  of  vegetables  ahead  of  their 
season  and  the  demand  made  the  business  of  supplying  it  very  profit- 
able. For  a  time  it  was  supposed  that  Norfolk  had  a  monopoly  of  the 
early  vegetable  and  small  fruit  business.  But  fast  steamers  from  the 
southern  ports  got  to  bringing  supplies  from  more  southern  points, 
largely  at  first  of  watermelons,  and  gradually  taking  up  other  things 
as  the  growers  found  them  to  pay.  The  completion  of  railroad  con- 
nections in  eastern  North  Carolina  led  to  experiments  there  in  this 
industry,  and  it  was  soon  found  that  we  had  in  that  section  a  soil  and 
climate  particularly  favorable  to  the  production  of  the  crops  most  in 
demand.  When  the  truck  industry  first  began  to  extend  southward 
the  northern  growers  were  alarmed  when  they  saw  peas  in  their  mar- 
ket before  they  had  planted  their  crops,  and  at  first  assumed  that  their 
occupation  was  gone.  But  as  the  industry  extended  further  south  it 
became  evident  that  the  southern  competition  was  not  an  unmixed 
evil,  for  with  greater  supplies  the  people  came  to  expect  continuous 
supplies,  and  each  section  fell  into  line  in  its  own  season.  The 
northern  gardeners  no  longer  got  the  fabulous  prices  formerly  paid 
for  their  earliest  products,  but  they  soon  found  that  when  their  turn 
came  they  had  the  practical  control  of  the  market  from  their  near- 
ness and  the  freshness  of  their  products.  So  a  division  of  labor  has 
been  set  up,  and  the  products  of  each  section  are  expected  and  sold  in 
their  respective  seasons.  The  products  from  the  south  of  course 
command  the  higher  price  from  their  earliness,  and  each  section  has 
found  what  it  can  best  produce.  In  no  part  of  the  south  has 
there  been  a  greater  development  in  this  line  than  in  North  Carolina. 
Antedating  the  products  of  the  Norfolk  section  by  several  weeks,  and 
but  little  behind  those  of  Charleston,  and  with  lower  freights  than  the 
latter  place  it  is  no  wonder  that  the  fertile  soil  of  our  eastern  counties 
has  developed  the  production  of  vegetable  crops  to  the  enormous 
amount  they  have  now  assumed. 


Trucking.  183 

The  increasing  wealth  of  the  northern  cities,  and  the  demands  of 
luxurious  living  have  of  late  years  developed  there  another  branch  of 
the  market  garden  industry,  that  of  forcing  vegetables  and  fruits 
under  glass  in  winter,  by  the  aid  of  fire  heat  distributed  over  large 
areas  by  means  of  hot  water  or  steam  pipes.  About  Boston  and  New 
York  this  business  has  developed  to  an  enormous  extent,  and  the 
products  being  of  the  highest  quality,  bring  the  finest  prices,  making 
the  investment  very  profitable.  This  business  too  is  beginning  to 
extend  to  distances  from  the  great  centres  of  population  until  the 
present  winter,  pineapples,  grown  under  glass  in  Florida  in  parts  of 
the  State  where  they  were  not  formerly  grown,  sold  by  reason  of  their 
superior  quality  for  $1.50  each  at  wholesale.  Cucumbers  from  hot- 
houses in  Vermont  are  now  sold  every  winter  in  New  York  at  fancy 
prices.  In  these  northern  sections  the  winters  are  characterized  by 
long  spells  of  dark  and  sunless  Vv^eather,  the  intense  cold  demands 
double  glazed  houses,  and  a  very  complete  and  expensive  heating 
apparatus,  with  an  enormous  consumption  of  coal.  In  North  Carolina 
our  winters,  even  when  uncommonly  cold,  are  characterized  by 
abounding  sunshine,  the  value  of  which  every  one  who  has  had  any 
experience  in  the  growing  of  plants  under  glass  fully  realizes.  The 
general  mild  temperature  makes  cheaper  houses  available,  less  of 
heating  apparatus  and  a  smaller  consumption  of  coal  necessary.  In 
fact  many  things  that  are  grown  profitably  at  the  north  in  steam 
heated  houses,  can  be  grown  to  equal  perfection  here  in  simple  cold 
frames,  covered  with  loose  sashes  only  at  night  and  in  dark  and  stormy 
weather.  Boston  lettuce,  grown  in  steam  heated  houses  aided  by 
electric  lights  is  shipped  as  far  south  as  Washington  and  sold  at  a  profit, 
while  here  we  can  grow  equally  as  good  a  product  during  the  whole 
winter,  in  frames,  without  a  particle  of  fire  heat.  I^ettuce  is  now 
being  grown  to  a  large  extent  in  the  neighborhood  of  Wilmington 
with  the  aid  of  protecting  plant  cloth,  which  at  best  is  a  poor  sub- 
stitute for  glass,  and  the  product  is  not  so  good  as  could  be  had  by 
the  use  of  glass.  The  growth  of  early  vegetables  in  the  open  ground 
has  developed  to  a  wonderful  extent  from  the  small  beginnings  on  the 
Atlantic  Coast  I^ine  railroad  near  Wilmington.  The  development  has 
been  particularly  noticeable  about  Newbern,  Vv^here  the  lands  in  the 
immediate  vicinity  of  the  city  are  almost  entirely  devoted  to  the  busi- 
ness. Here  in  the  peninsula  between  the  Neuse  and  Trent  rivers,  the 
gardens  extend  over  near  10,000  acres.  Having  here  the  advantage 
of  both  water  and  railroad  transportation  there  has  been  a  wider 
development  than  any  vv^here  else.  The  level  mellow  lands  respond 
quickly  to  the  use  of  fertilizers,  which  are  applied  with  lavish  hands. 


1 84  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

Not  only  about  Newbern,  but  all  along  the  Atlantic  and  North 
Carolina  railroad,  at  Kinston  and  LaGrange,  the  market  gardening 
industry  has  developed  to  a  wonderful  extent.  On  the  Wilmington 
and  Weldon  branch  of  the  Atlantic  Coast  I^ine  the  increase  in  this 
business  has  been  equally  marked.  Here  just  north  of  Wilmington, 
the  truck  industry  had  its  first  beginning.  Then,  near  Rocky  Point, 
Mr.  G.  Z.  French  has  seven  hundred  acres  devoted  to  the  culture  of 
small  fruits  and  early  vegetables,  and  that  point  has  become  an 
important  shipping  centre.  From  Wilmington  to  Goldsboro,  the 
development  has  of  late  tended  more  in  the  direction  of  strawberry 
growing  than  in  vegetable  culture,  and  the  broad  fields  devoted  to 
this  fruit  are  one  of  the  most  attractive  features  of  the  country  to  the 
traveller  on  the  railroad.  Mr.  J.  A.  Westbrook,  at  Mt.  Olive,  has 
made  a  conspicuous  success  in  the  culture  of  the  strawberry.  He 
bought  fourteen  years  ago  a  worn  out  farm,  and  went  to  work  grow- 
ing strawberries,  with  a  capital  of  $1000  and  a  single  horse.  From 
this  small  beginning  he  has  made  a  fine  home,  and  a  fertile  farm  from 
a  very  poor  one  and  has  bought  several  other  farms  here  and  one  in 
Florida.  His  returns,  net,  from  strawberries,  on  his  home  place  last 
year  were  $14,000  from  thirty  acres  in  this  fruit.  It  should  be  stated 
that  part  of  this  was  from  the  sale  of  the  new  strawberry  plant,  I^ady 
Thompson.  The  cost  of  cultivating,  fertilizing  and  shipping  straw- 
berries here  will  run  from  $100  to  $125  per  acre  annually.  Along 
these  lines  of  railroad,  lands  suitable  for  the  growth  of  garden  vege- 
table and  small  fruits  are  rapidly  advancing  in  value,  though  there 
are  wide  areas  still  to  be  had  at  very  low  prices.  As  has  been 
intimated,  the  greatest  development  is  yet  to  come  here  in  the  skill- 
ful use  of  glass,  and  there  is  the  greatest  opening  for  men  skilled  in 
the  use  of  glass  in  green  houses  and  frames.  This  culture  offers  the 
best  inducement  for  the  investment  of  capital  and  skill  of  any  business 
in  the  trucking  section.  There  are  as  yet  few  men  there  who  have 
had  any  experience  in  the  handling  of  vegetables  and  fruits  under 
glass,  and  it  only  needs  to  be  started  by  skilled  men  to  make  it  an 
assured  success  from  the  start. 

What  is  yet  to  be  the  future  of  the  market  garden  interests  in 
North  Carolina  no  one  can  predict.  Two  years  ago  it  was  stated  that  the 
shipments  of  early  truck  from  eastern  North  Carolina,  amounted  to  over 
$4,000,000.  From  one  farm,  that  of  Messrs.  Hackburn  &  Willett,  near 
Newbern,  $75,000  worth  of  products  have  been  sold  in  a  single  season. 

North  of  the  Albemarle  Sound  on  the  line  of  the  Norfolk  and 
Southern  railroad,  from  Kdenton  to  Norfolk  is  another  section  where 
at  various  points  the  growing  of  early  vegetable  crops  has  been  a 


TRUCKING  AROUND  NEW  BERN. 


Culture  of  Flowering  Bulbs.  185 

source  of  great  profit.  This  is  particularly  the  case  about  Elizabeth 
City,  where  the  transportation  by  water  through  the  Dismal  Swamp 
canal  gives  an  additional  outlet  with  the  railroad. 

To  men  of  small  means  the  intensive  culture  of  the  truck  and 
small  fruit  business  is  attractive,  and  to  the  man  of  large  means  and 
a  knowledge  of  the  business  in  all  its  branches  there  is  in  eastern 
North  Carolina  an  opening  for  profitable  investment  in  this  line, 
unsurpassed  by  any  other  section  of  the  Union. 

CULTURE  OF  FLOWERING  BULBS. 

For  generations  all  the  bulbs  of  ornamental  plants  that  are 
produced  in  this  way  have  been  imported  from  Holland  and  the 
south  of  Europe.  For  many  years  our  growers  thought  it  essential 
that  the  tuberose  (Polyanthus  Tuberosa)  must  be  had  from  Italy 
in  order  to  have  the  best  blooming  bulbs.  Years  ago  some  experi- 
ments of  the  late  Isaac  Buchanan  on  lyong  Island,  demonstrated  that 
bulbs  of  superior  quality  could  be  grown  on  this  side  the  ocean. 
But  it  was  found  that  in  the  shorter  northern  season  these  evergreen 
bulbs  could  not  be  ripened  to  a  blooming  size  from  the  offsets  in  a 
single  season,  and  it  was  found  that  a  more  southern  climate  was 
needed.  Experiments  were  made  in  Florida,  but  it  was  found  that 
though  the  bulbs  grew  to  a  fine  size  there,  the  trouble  was  to  get 
them  to  stop  growing  in  time  to  prevent  the  flowering  the  same 
season,  for  this  would  render  the  bulbs  worthless  as  the  tuberose 
makes  but  one  spike  of  flowers  from  a  bulb,  and  the  future  bloom 
depends  on  the  offsets  made.  Further  experiments  showed  that  the 
climate  of  eastern  North  Carolina  was  the  happy  medium  between  the 
short  season  of  I^ong  Island  and  the  long  one  of  Florida,  and  at  once 
the  business  centered  there.  For  3"ears  now  the  entire  market  for 
these  bulbs  both  in  America  and  Europe  has  been  supplied  by  the 
growers  of  eastern  North  Carolina.  Latterl}^  the  English  dealers 
have  made  an  effort  to  promote  the  culture  of  the  tuberose  in  South 
Africa,  and  large  quantities  were  grown  there,  but  their  quality  as 
acknowledged  by  the  English  Horticultural  papers  does  not  compare 
with  that  of  North  Carolina  bulbs  and  the  African  bulbs  are  no  longer 
wanted  in  London.  But  as  fashion  rules  the  demand  for  all  classes  of 
flowers,  the  tuberose  has  become  less  fashionable  than  formerly,  and 
a  decreased  demand  has  caused  lower  prices,  so  that  while  the  business 
is  still  fairly  remunerative  it  is  not  so  profitable  as  formerly.  But  more 
recent  experiments  have  demonstrated  that  we  have  in  various  parts  of 
the  State,  soils  and  climate  adapted  to  the  growth  of  other  flowering 
bulbs  that  are  in  large  demand  by  the  florists  near  the  great  centres 


North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


of  fashion  for  forcing  under  glass  in  tlie  winter  months.  It  has  been 
shown  that  we  can  grow  here  to  as  great  or  even  greater  perfection 
all  the  hyacinth  bulbs  for  which  Holland  has  become  famous,  and 
that  the  lilies  can  be  produced  here  far  better  than  those  that  are 
imported  from  the  south  of  France,  and  that  the  early  blooming 
Roman  hyacinths  and  the  white  Italians,  which  have  been  the  mon- 
opoly of  the  south  of  France  and  Italy,  can  be  produced  here  of  far 
better  quality  than  in  Europe.  Professor  W.  F.  Massey,  the  active 
Horticulturist,  of  North  Carolina  Experiment  Station,  a  florist  of 
long  experience,  has  been  making  active  efforts  to  interest  the  north- 
ern wholesale  dealers  in  this  matter,  and  bulbs  produced  at  the  station 
grounds  have  attracted  great  admiration  among  the  New  York  florists, 
and  many  dealers  are  now  endeavoring  to  encourage  the  culture  here, 
preferring  of  course  to  get  their  supplies  at  home  rather  than  go  abroad 
and  pay  duty  on  them.  The  result  of  the  efforts  of  Prof,  Massey  in 
getting  a  substitute  or  an  ally  or  allies  for  the  tuberose  seems  destined 
to  be  successful,  and  it  looks  as  though  the  time  is  not  far  distant 
when  North  Corolina  will  become  as  famous  for  bulbs  as  Holland  has 
been,  when  our  growers  become  as  skillful  in  the  handling  and  curing 
of  the  various  bulbs.  But  the  general  culture  of  flowering  bulbs  will 
not  be  confined  to  the  eastern  region  as  that  of  the  tuberose  has  been, 
for  it  is  found  that  for  some  of  them  a  different  soil  and  climatic  con- 
dition are  better.  That  section  will  probably  excel  in  the  growth 
of  the  tuberose,  narcissus,  freezia  and  amaryllis,  while  the  upland 
sandy  lands  of  the  long  leaf  pine  belt  will  become  the  home  of  the 
lilies,  and  hyacinth,  and  gladiolus,  though  the  Narcissus  will  do 
equally  well  there.  The  deep  sandy  soils  of  the  long  leaf  pine 
region  seem  especially  adapted  to  the  growth  and  perfection  of  the 
lily  tribe,  as  extensive  experiments  have  shown.  A  few  years  ago 
a  New  York  importer  had  100,000  lily  bulbs  arrive  from  France  in  a 
damaged  condition  so  that  they  were  entirely  unsaleable.  He  sent 
them  to  Aberdeen  in  the  sand  hill  country  of  this  State,  and  in  one 
season's  growth,  in  the  hands  of  absolutely  inexperienced  cultivators, 
they  attained  such  perfection  as  to  astonish  all  who  saw  them  on  their 
return  to  New  York,  and  the  florists  who  bought  them  for  forcing 
were  so  pleased  with  the  results  that  the  next  season  they  all  wanted, 
some  of  the  same  kind  of  bulbs.  Professor  Massey  sent  the  past 
season  bulbs  of  a  great  variety,  grown  at  the  Station  grounds  near 
Raleigh,  in  a  soil  not  believed  to  be  the  best  for  the  purpose,  which 
were  pronounced  by  the  Garden  and  Forest,  the  leading  authority  in 
such  matters,  to  be  better  by  far  than  any  imported  bulbs  that  had 
ever  been  seen  in  that  city.     Experiments  with  the  bulbs  showed  that 


' » c  '^-  v„ ,  iKv.-'.- 


GREAT    FALLS    AND    BULKHEAD  —  ROANOKE    RIVER  —  WELDON. 


Culture  of  Flowering  Bulbs.  187 

they  forced  under  glass  better  than  the  imported  ones  and  that  even 
the  Chinese  Sacred  lyily  (Narcissus  Tazetta)  made  more  bloom  than 
the  imported  Chinese  bulbs,  and  far  superior  to  those  that  had  been 
grown  in  Bermuda.  So  much  space  to  the  bulb  industry  is  given 
because  the  prospect  is  that  it  is  to  become  in  many  parts  of  the  State 
a  leading  and  most  profitable  industry,  and  in  the  hope  that  the  facts 
stated  may  attract  the  attention  of  experts  in  bulb  culture  to  the 
capacity  of  our  soil  and  climate  for  this  work. 

An  effort  has  been  made  to  get  a  list  of  those  engaged  in  the 
cultivation  of  the  tuberose  and  other  flowering  bulbs,  but  has  resulted 
in  only  a  partially  complete  list.  The  following  comprises  a  list  of 
those  along  the  line  of  the  Wilmington  and  Wei  don  railroad,  with  the 
probable  amount  of  their  tuberose  crops.  At  Wallace,  in  Duplin 
county,  J.  W.  Stallings,  200,000;  D.  H.  Wallace,  100,000;  Milton 
Southerland,  100,000;  Z.  J.  Carter  &  Son,  400,000;.  At  Teacher's: 
J.  C.  Mc'Millan,  Jr.,  100,000.  At  Rose  Hill:  W.  B.  Southerland, 
100,000.  At  Magnolia:  H.  E.  Newberrj^,  1,000,000;  J,  F.  Croom  & 
Bro.;  1,000,000.  There  are  also  large  quantities  of  these  bulbs  grown 
at  other  points  on  the  same  road  and  also  at  Faj-etteville,  so  that  it  will 
be  perfectly  safe  to  put  the  present  production  of  the  tuberose  alone 
at  near  5,000,000  bulbs  annually.  One  of  the  tuberose  growers  has 
already  an  annual  contract  with  a  Chicago  house  to  take  all  the 
Roman  hyacinths  he  can  produce  up  to  a  million.  It  is  only  a  ques- 
tion of  time  when  the  bulbs  that  are  now  grown  for  the  American 
market  in  the  south  of  France  and  Italy,  will  be  grown  in  North 
Carolina  and  there  is  no  more  inviting  line  of  culture  for  expert 
gardeners  than  in  growing  these  bulbs  here  for  the  trade. 


MANUFACTURING. 


The  existence  in  most  parts  of  the  State  of  abundant  water- 
power,  the  abundance,  value  and  variety  of  the  raw  material,  and  its 
proximity  to  favorable  seats  for  its  conversion  into  the  manufactured 
fabric,  and  the  natural  aptitude  of  the  people  for  mechanical  industries, 
early  made  North  Carolina  foremost  among  the  Southern  States  in  the 
character  of  a  manufacturing  State.  In  iron  she  was  usefully 
conspicuous  during  the  revolutionary  war.  In  the  manufacture  of 
textile  fabrics  she  may  be  regarded  as  the  pioneer  in  the  south,  her 
cotton  factories  antedating  similar  works  in  both  Virginia  and  South 
Carolina — her  factories,  at  the  beginning  of  the  late  civil  war, 
exceeding  those  of  any  State  in  the  south.     The  war  swept  away 


North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


roost  of  the  existing  establishments,  the  invaders  aiming  to  inflict  a 
deadly  blow  upon  the  industries  of  the  State  as  one  of  the  surest  steps 
at  subjugation — perhaps  with  an  eye  also  to  the  suppression  of  that 
rivalry  which  might  grow  formidable  after  the  restoration  of  peace, 
with  the  advantages  possessed  by  the  south  in  climate,  in  the  cost  of 
labor,  in  the  economy  of  living,  in  the  saving  ofthe  costs  of  transporta- 
tion, and  the  more  decided  advantage  in  the  proximity  of  the  cotton 
fields  to  the  factories.  The  almost  universal  destruction  of  the 
existing  cotton  factories  was  a  stunning  blow  to  North  Carolina,  but 
not  a  fatal  one,  for  its  force  was  the  same  as  that  inflicted  upon  all 
the  other  industries  of  the  State,  corporate  and  individual.  In  all  of 
them  recuperation  began  from  the  same  dead  level  of  universal  ruin 
and  disaster.  The  same  hopeful  look  into  the  future,  the  same 
undaunted  courage  in  accepting  calamity,  the  same  indomitable 
energy  in  the  retrieval  of  losses,  the  same  steady  determination  to 
persevere  against  the  most  formidable  obstacles  which  make  up  the 
North  Carolina  character,  had  splendid  illustration  when  the  restora- 
tion of  constitutional  government  and  the  restoration  of  wise  financial 
S57Stems  made  it  possible  to  engage  again  in  those  industrial  pursuits 
demanding  the  application  of  capital  and  the  possession  of  the 
necessary  skill.  And  the  increase  of  the  manufacture  of  cotton  is  so 
great  as  to  have  become  a  prominent  feature  in  the  industrial  history 
of  the  State.  One  feature  is  not  to  be  overlooked:  it  indicates  a 
change  in  sj^stems  and  habits  only  to  be  wrought  by  the  stern 
lessons  of  adversity,  and  must  be  accepted  as  one  of  the  undreamed  of 
blessings  which  sometimes  are  enforced  by  the  teachings  of  war.  Once 
it  was  that  all  the  skill  of  managers,  superintendents  and  machinists 
was  introduced  from  the  northern  factories.  The  instances  were  rare 
when  a  youug  southern  man  applied  himself  to  the  acquisition  of  the 
necessary  skill  and  experience  to  take  charge  of  a  factory.  Now 
3'^oung  men  of  the  south  make  no  hesitation  in  stepping  on  the  lowest 
round  of  the  ladder  and  ascending,  by  gradual  but  steady  step,  to  the 
topmost  round,  qualified  to  take  charge  of  all  the  intricate  and 
complex  details  of  a  business  for  which  the  habits  of  the  south  once 
pronounced  them  inapt  or  disqualified  by  social  position.  Northern 
skill  and  experience  are  not  discarded  or  excluded,  but  real  industrial 
independence  is  only  attained  where  those  who  engage  in  enterprises 
involving  the  problems  of  success  or  failure  are  themselves  capable  of 
conducting  them.  Thus  it  has  come  to  pass  that,  from  the  seaboard 
to  the  mountains,  by  the  use  of  steam  or  wa-ter-power,  cotton  factories 
are  established,  created  by  home  capital,  in  large  measure  conducted 
by  home  skill. 


Cotton  Mii^ls. 


COTTON  MILLS. 

(Prepared  by  a  practical  Cotton  Spinner.) 

It  is  certain  that  no  industry  in  the  State  has  thriven  with  such 
rapidity  or  been  more  healthy  in  its  growth  than  that  of  cotton 
manufacturing. 

For  many  years  there  has  been  no  cessation  in  the  extension  of 
mill  plants  or  in  the  erection  of  new  ones  and  at  the  present  moment 
there  are  probably  as  many  or  more  mills  in  the  course  of  erection 
than  at  any  other  period. 

The  rapid  progress  of  the  past  few  years  is  clearly  seen  from  a 
comparison  of  the  number  of  looms  and  spindles  now  at  work  with 
the  figures  given  in  the  Hand  Book  of  1893. 

The  figures  at  the  date  of  the  last  publication  were: — 

Spindles.  Looms. 

1893 506,342 9,128. 

and  are  now  (1S96) 879,740 19,633. 

This  growth  is  at  a  rapid  rate  but  is  none  the  less  healthy,  for 
the  mill  stocks  of  this  State  stand  fully  as  high  in  the  estimation  of 
investors  as  those  of  any  other  State  and  the  industry  in  North 
Carolina  has  suffered  as  little,  or  perhaps  less,  than  that  of  any  other 
State  in  the  periodical  waves  of  depression  that  influence  cotton 
manufacturing  all  the  world  over. 

Among  the  difl&culties  of,  and  the  drawbacks  to,  manufacturing 
in  the  Old  World  and  even  in  the  eastern  States  of  the  Union,  is  the 
one  of  transit  of  raw  material  and  finished  product.  For  a  hundred 
years  the  spindles  of  the  world  have  depended  almost  entirely  on 
America  for  their  supply  of  cotton,  and  now,  notwithstanding  the  large 
crops  raised  in  Egypt,  India,  China  and  South  America,  probably 
two-thirds  of  the  spindles  in  existence  use  cotton  that  is  grown  in  the 
South.  These  mills  have  to  bear  heavy  freight  charges,  both  on  the 
raw  cotton  and  again  on  the  reshipment  of  manufactured  goods;  goods 
which  still  to  a  large  extent  are  re-imported  into  this  country. 
Again  the  older  manufacturing  countries  have  to  deal  with  labor  that 
is  organized  in  trades  unions,  which  insist  on  high  wages,  short  hours, 
with  laws  that  have  been  passed  incurring  all  kinds  of  restrictions 
and  regulations  which,  however  desirable  they  may  be  from  a  philan- 
thropic or  politico-economical  standpoint,  are  none  the  less  galling  to 
the  average  business  man.  In  addition,  the  older  established  mills  have 
often  to  contend  with  worn  out  and  antiquated  plant  and  machinery. 

The  business  men  of  North  Carolina  were  among  the  first  to  see 
the  opportunities  of  a  new   era  of  cotton   manufacturing:  how,  by 


iQO  North  Carolina  and  its  Resourcks. 

adopting  the  latest  and  most  improved  machinery  and  by  placing  it 
in  modern  mills  designed  for  economical  working,  they  could  utilize 
the  willing  labor  in  their  midst  and  the  cotton  around  their  doors, 
thus  keeping  the  money  representing  the  cost  of  manufacture  at  home. 
The  difference  in  value  of  the  average  sized  crop  of  North  Carolina 
cotton  if  sold  as  manufactured  fabrics  at  about  15  cents,  instead  of  7 
cents  in  the  bale,  would  amount  to  $16,000,000  per  annum,  a  larger 
portion  of  which  sum  would  remain  in  the  State. 

The  advantages  of  North  Carolina  as  a  manufacturing  section  and 
the  reasons  that  have  made  it  so  successful  are  thus  obvious.  Raw 
material  at  the  mill  door,  a  regular  supply  of  cotton  of  even  grade 
and  staple,  absence  of  obnoxious  State  restrictions  and  grandmotherly 
legislation  on  factory  questions,  plentiful  supply  of  wood  for  fuel  or 
proximity  to  water  powers,  and  an  abundance  of  cheap  labor,  have  all 
had  their  influence. 

Perhaps  the  most  potent  reason  has  been  the  labor;  all  through 
the  State  there  seems  to  be  an  abundant  supply  of  teachable  and 
tractable  help,  especially  in  the  foot-hills  of  the  mountains.  They 
make,  with  some  little  instruction,  exceedingly  satisfactory  mill 
operatives,  their  onl^^  fault  being  a  spirit  of  unrest,  a  desire  to  move 
about  from  mill  to  mill,  rather  than  settle  in  one  place.  The  oppor- 
tunity of  mill  work  is  usually  valuable  to  these  people  in  consequence 
of  their  lack  of  elementary  education  and  consequent  unsuitability 
for  many  industrial  occupations.  In  the  cotton  mills,  however,  this 
lack  of  education  is  far  from  being  a  drawback  and  as  before  stated 
they  are  found  to  be  excellent  help.  Another  feature  of  the 
cotton  mill  industry  in  this  State  is  the  number  of  small  mills. 
Usuallj'  this  is  considered  a  disadvantage  as  the  modern  tendency  is 
to  increase  the  size  of  the  mill  to  reduce  the  cost  per  pound  of  finished 
product.  In  North  Carolina  the  small  factory  is  a  useful  institution,  as 
small  communities  that  otherwise  could  not  have  a  mill  at  all  can  often 
afford  a  small  one;  many  small  water  powers  can  be  developed  and 
utilized,  and  the  small  mill  offers  facilities  for  close  supervision  and 
for  working  up  local  supplies  of  cotton  while  the  financial  results  often 
bear  comparison  with  those  of  larger  concerns. 

Although  mills  of  this  type  exist  in  considerable  numbers,  yet 
there  are  many  in  the  State  of  larger  proportions,  for  example,  the 
Henrietta  mills,  which  afford  employment  to  the  inhabitants  of  what 
is  now  quite  a  town  which  has  grown  up  on  a  site  that  ten  years  ago 
was  one  of  the  quietest  woodland  tracts  in  the  State.  Another,  the 
Victor  mill,  which  is  one  of  the  group  of  twelve  mills  now  at  work, 
or  in  course  of  erection  in  the  city  of  Charlotte,  is  representative  of 


O         I 


o      Lj 
o       o 


Cotton  Mills.  191 


tlie  smaller  type.  In  addition,  other  towns  like  Salisbury,  Graham, 
Burlington  and  Greensboro  have  become  quite  important  manufactur- 
ing centres  and  possess  fine  mills. 

The  future  possibilities  of  cotton  manufacturing  in  the  State  are 
great.  The  motive  power  applied  is  either  water  or  steam.  Of  the 
former  the  aggregate  is  about  3,500,000  horse  powers.  Professor 
Kerr  said  that  "if  the  whole  of  this  were  emploj^ed  in  manufacturing 
it  would  be  adequate  to  turn  140,000,000  spindles.  The  water  power 
of  North  Carolina  would  manufacture  three  times  the  entire  crop  of 
the  country,  whereas  all  the  mills  on  the  continent  only  spin  one- 
quarter  of  it.  Putting  the  crop  of  the  State  at  400,000  bales,  she  has 
power  to  manufacture  fifty  times  that  quantity."  See  chapter  on 
water  powers  elsewhere. 

The  choice  between  w^ater  power  and  steam  is  determined  by  the 
comparative  economy  in  the  use  of  either  the  one  or  the  other.  In 
many  cases  there  will  be  no  hesitation  in  the  adoption  of  the  first,  for 
natural  conditions  at  once  emphasize  the  decision.  At  the  falls  of  the 
Roanoke,  of  the  Tar  river,  on  the  rapid  declivities  of  Haw  and  Deep 
rivers,  on  never-failing  streams  in  Cumberland  and  Richmond  coun- 
ties, on  the  enormous  forces  of  the  two  Catawbas,  and  perhaps  else- 
where, a  second  thought  would  never  be  given  to  the  application  of 
any  other  power  than  that  so  exhaustlessly  provided  by  nature  and 
so  easily  and  economically  controlled.  Elsewhere  steam  offers  itself 
as  the  ready  and  convenient  agent  in  such  convenient  form  that  the 
location  of  a  new  factory  is  rather  made  subservient  to  the  convenience 
of  transportation  than  to  the  character  of  the  power  to  be  applied;  and 
thus  it  is  that  cotton  factories  are  found  everywhere  in  operation  in  the 
State,  on  the  flat  lands  and  by  the  sluggish  waters  of  the  eastern  sec- 
tion, along  the  bold  streams  and  the  abundant  water-falls  in  the 
middle  section,  or  on  the  more  turbulent  torrents  of  the  Mountain 
region. 

As  shown,  there  is  practically  no  limit  to  the  power  available  for 
mill  purposes  and  there  is  no  limit  to  the  cotton  available,  as  when 
the  mills  reach  the  point  when  they  exhaust  the  supply  available 
from  the  State,  cotton  will  be  shipped  from  the  States  less  favorably 
situated  for  manufacturing,  and  as  New  England  can  employ 
14,000,000  spindles,  the  Continent  of  Europe  27,000,000  and  England 
45,000,000,  there  is  no  reason  why  the  mills  in  the  south  should  not 
continue  to  multiply  for  many  years  to  come. 

The  capital  invested  in  Cotton  mills  in  North  Carolina,  is  esti- 
mated at  $13,132,750,  and  the  money  paid  in  wages  to  cotton  mill 
help  annually  $2,854,300,  for  the  day  work  alone.     As  a  considerable 


192 


North  Caroi^ina  and  its  Resources. 


number  of  mills  work  day  and  night  in  brisk  business  times,  this 
estimate  will  be  largely  exceeded. 

The  products  are  varied  and  comprise  yarns  from  the  coarse 
carpet  warp  to  the  skein  yarns  for  lace  curtains,  while  the  weaving 
mills,  in  addition  to  sheetings,  shirtings  and  drills,  make  ginghams, 
plaids,  chambrays,  stripes,  cheviots,  towels,  etc.  There  are  also 
several  mills  engaged  in  making  cotton  ropes,  cordage  and  webbing  as 
well  as  a  number  of  cotton  knitting  mills,  both  for  socks  and 
underwear. 

The  large  increase  of  cotton  mills  has  been  the  means  of  intro- 
ducing other  industries,  such  as  a  card  clothing  factory,  belting 
factories,  reed  and  harness  works,  roll  covering  shops,  machinery 
repair  shops  and  many  establishments  for  the  manufacture  of  mill 
accessories,  all  adding  to  the  prosperity  of  the  State.  The  city  of 
Charlotte  has  become  recognized  as  the  commercial  centre  of  the  cotton 
mill  business  in  the  south,  all  the  important  textile  machinists  and 
makers  of  mill  supplies  being  represented  there. 

A  list  is  appended  of  all  the  cotton  mills  in  the  State  and  in 
addition  to  those  given,  companies  have  been  organized  for  the 
purpose  of  building  cotton  mills  at  the  following  places: — Albemarle, 
Charlotte,  Cherryville,  Hillsboro,  Jamestown  and   Mount   Pleasant. 


COTTON  FACTORIES. 


County  and  Post  Office. 


Alamance Elon  College.. 

Alamance Elon  College.. 

Alamance Burlington... . 

Alamance Burlington... . 

Alamance Burlington... . 

Alamance Burlington... . 

Alamance Burlington... . 

Alamance  Burlington.... 

Alamance Burlington... . 

Alamance Burlington.. . . 

Alamance. . .  ...Graham 

Alamance Graham 

Alamance Graham 

Alamance Graham 

Alamance Graham 

Alamance Swepsonville. 

Alamance Haw  River.. . . 

Alamance Haw  River.. . . 

Alamance Haw  River. . . . 

Alamance Big  Falls 


Name  of  Mill,  President  or  Manager. 


Altamahaw;  Holt,  Grant  &  Holt. . . ... 

Ossipee;  J.  N.  Williamson  &  Son 

Glencoe;  W.  E.  &  J.  H.  Holt 

Lakeside;  Samuel  M.Holt 

Carolina;  J.  H.  &  W.  E.  Holt  &  Co.. . 

Alamance,  E.  M.  Holt  &  Sons 

Aurora;  Lawrence  8.  Holt.. 

Elmira;  W.  L.  &  E.  C.  Holt 

E.  M.  Holt;  J.  H.  Erwin 

Windsor;  J.  H  Holt,  Jr.  &  R.  L.  Holt 
Saxapahaw;  White,  Williamson  &Co 

Oneida,  (No.  1) ;  L.  Banks  Holt 

Oneida,  (No.  2);  L.  Banks  Holt 

Belmont;  L.  B.  &  L.  S.  Holt 

Sidney;  Scott,  Donnell  &  Scott 

Virginia;  George  Rosenthal,  Treas.. . 
Granite  Mfg.  Co.,  Chas.T.  Holt,  Pres 
T.  M.  Holt  Mfg.  Co.  C.  T.  Holt,  P„-„ 
Cora  Mfg.  Co.,  Charles  T.  Holt,  P 
Juanita;   G.    Rosenthal ^^^ 


No.  of 
Spin- 
dles. 


6,500 
4,600 
3,T20 
3,000 

3.075 
1,000 
4,608 
3,750 


No.  of 
lyOoms 


3,120 
4,704 

4,424 
4,400 

2,592 
1,000 
3,680 
8,500 
7,168 
7,000 
6,172 


300 
220 
186 
150 
58 
94 
220 
252 
140 
160 

71 
308 
277 
126 
loi 
150 
434 
252 
250 


*In  course  of  construction. 


Cotton  Factories. 


193 


County  and  Post  Office. 


Alexander Taylorsville. 

Anson Wadesboro. . . 

Buncombe Asheville. . . . 

Burke Mor°:anton.. . 


Name  of  Mill,  President  or  Manager.  S 


Taylorsville;  J.  H.  Moore 

Wadesboro;  W.  T.  McClendon,  Pres. 
Asheville;  L,.  Banks  Holt,  President. 
Alpine 


Burke Valdese [Hosiery  Mill;  John  Meier. 

Cabarrus Concord 

Cabarrus Concord 

Cabarrus Concord , 

Cabarrus Concord , 

Caldwell Granite  Falls. 

Caldwell Patterson. . . . 

Catawba Newton 

Catawba Newton  .... 

Catawba Maiden 

Catawba Maiden , 

Catav/ba Maiden 

Catawba   Monbo 

Catawba Monbo 


Cabarrus;J.  M.  Odell 

Cannon;  J.  M.  Odell,  President 

Odell;  J.  M.  Odell,  President 

Patterson  Mfg.  Co.  G.  W.  Patterson. .  . 
Granite  Falls  Mfg.  Co.,  W.  P.  Ivey.. . 
Gwyn  Harper;  Gwyn,  Harper  &  Co... 

Newton;  B.  D.  Heath 

Newton  Hosiery  Mill , 

Union;  Martin  Carpenter 

Maiden;  H.  P\  Carpenter  &  Sons 

Providence;  H.  F.  Carpenter  &  Sons.. 
Long  Island;  Geo.  H.  Brown,  Treas... 

Monbo;  C.  L.  Turner 

J.  M.  Odell  Mfg.  Co.  J.  M.  Odell 


No.  of 
Spin- 
dles. 


No.   of 
Ivooms 


Chatham Bynums... 

Chatham Siler  City iHadley,  Peoples  &  Co 

Cleveland. Laundale | Cleveland;  H.  F.  Schenck 

Cleveland Double  Shoals  Double  Shoals;  E.  A.  Morgan 


Cleveland Shelby. 

Cleveland Shelby. 

Cleveland Stubbs. 


Cumberland. 
Cumberland. 
Cumberland. 
Cumberland. 


. .  Belmont;  A.  C.  Miller,  Treasurer 

..  Lauraglen;  R.  B,  Miller,  Secretary... 
. .  ^Buffalo  Manufacturing  Company.... 

Craven Newbern jNev.-bern  Knitting  Mill,  H.  Rishton... 

Cumberland.  ..Hope  Mills...  .JHope  Mills  (No.  i)  S.  H.Cotton 

Cumberland... Hope  Mills...  .jHope  Mills  (No.  2)  S.  H.  Cotton 

Cumberland.  ..Fayetteville..  .Beaver  Creek  &  Bluff;  H.  W.  Lilly. .. 

.  .Faj^etteville. . . 'Faj-etteville;  A.  A.  McKeathan,  Sec... 

..Fayetteville..  .Phcenix,  J.  D.  McNeill,  Secretary 

,  .Fa3^etteville. . .  •*W.  L.  Holt,  Pres 

..Manchester.. .  I  Manchester;  John  F.  Clark 

Davidson Lexington.. . .  IWennonah  (Nos.  i  &  2)  W.   E.  Holt. . 

Durham Durham JErwin;  B.  N.  Duke,  President 

Durham Durham [Durham  Hosiery  Mill;  Geo.  Graham 

Durham Durham jGolden  Belt  Knitting  Mill;  J. S.  Carr 

Durham Durham t Commonwealth;  V.  Ballard 

Durham East  Durham.  |Pearl;  W.  H.  Branson 

Durham East  Durham.  Durham;  W.  H.  Branson 

Durham Willardsville..  Willard;  A.  G.  Cox 

Edgecombe.  ...Tarboro iTarboro;  A.  M.  Fairly 

Forsyth Salem jSouth  Side;  H.  E.  Fries 

Forsyth Salem JArista;  F.  &  H.  Fries 

Franklin Franklinton.  .jSterling;  S.  C.  Yann,  Treasurer 

Franklin Laurel jLaurel;  J.  F.  Jones 

Gaston   Cherryville. .  .'Cherryville;  David  Manny 

Gaston Crowder's  Mt.lCrowder's Mount.;  R.H.Garrett,  Pres. 

Gaston Dallas [Dallas;  L.  L.  Suggs , 

Gaston   Harden. ...... 'Harden;  O.  D.  Carpenter 

Gaston Stanley  Creek  Stanley  Creek;  A.  P.  Rhyne,  Pres. . . . 

Gaston Gastonia Gastonia;  R.  G.  C.  Love.  President. . . 


3,000! 

2,8oo| 

14,9081 

3,800! 
3.230! 


II, 0161 
io,ooo| 
i3,ooo| 

1,650! 
12,000; 

5,000: 


Gaston Mt.  Holly. 

Ga.ston Mt.  Holly. 

Gaston Mt.  Holly 


Mt.  Holly;  A.  P.  Rhyne  &  Co. 

Albion;  A.  P.  Rhyne  &  Co 

Nims;  ;M.  R.  Dewstoe 


5>i84 

150 

2,500 

.... 

6,500 

.... 

6,100 

.... 

2,500 

100 

2,080 

2,080 

4,160 

10,000 

1^6 

2,800 

2,800 

.... 

2, coo 

*In  course  of  construction. 
13 


194 


North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


County  and  post  Office. 


Gaston Mt.  Holly 

Gaston Gastonia 

Gaston Gastonia 

Gaston Gastonia 

Gaston  McAdeosville. 

Gaston Mountain  Is. . 

Gaston King's  Mt 

Gaston King's  Mt 

Gaston King's  Mt  . . . 

Gaston Bessemer  City 

Gaston Lowell 

Gaston  Stanley  Creek 

Gaston Belmont 

Gaston Lowell 

Guilford Highpoint 

Guilford Kimesville — 

Guilford Jamestown . . . 

Guilford Gibsonville. . . 

Guilford Gibsonville.. . 

Guilford Greensboro. . . 

Guilford Greensboro. . . 

Guilford Greensboro. . . 

Guilford Greensboro. . . 

Halifax Scotland  Neck 

Halifax Weldon 

Halifax Weldon 

Henderson. . .  .Flat  Rock. . . . 
Henderson. . .  .Hen'rsonville. 

Iredell  Turnersburg... 

Iredell Statesville 

Iredell Mooresville,.  . 

Lincoln •. .  Lincolnton — 

Lincoln Long  Shoals . . 

Lincoln Lincolnton — 

Lincoln Lincolnton... . 

Lincoln Lincolnton — 

Lenoir Kinston 

Mecklenburg  .Charlotte 

Mecklenburg.  .Charlotte 

Mecklenburg.  .Charlotte 

Mecklenburg.  .Charlotte 

Mecklenburg . .  Charlotte.   . . . 

Mecklenburg . .  Charlotte 

Mecklenburg.  .Charlotte 

Mecklenburg.  .Charlotte 

Mecklenburg.  .Charlotte 

Mecklenburg.  .Charlotte 

Mecklenburg.  .Huntersville.. 

Mecklenburg.  .Davidson. 

Mecklenburg.  .Davidson.   ... 

Mecklenburg.  .Pineville 

Moore Jonesboro  .... 

Montgomery.. .  Milledgeville . 
Montgomery.. .  Milledgeville . 
Nash Rocky  Mount. 


Name  of  Mill,  President  or   Manager. 


Tuckaseegee;  A.  P.  Rhyne,  President. 

Modena;  J.  D.  Moore 

Trenton;  G.  U.  Ragan,  Treasurer 

*G.  A.  Gray;  G.  A.  Gray 

McAden;  Dr.  J.  H.  McAden 

Mountain  Island;  W.  J.  Hooper  &  Co. 

Dilling;  F.  Dilling 

Enterprise;  W.  O.  Ware 

King's  Mountain;  J.  S.  Mauney 

Southern  Cotton  Mills;  J.  M.  Odell.... 
Spencer  Mountain;  J.  S.  Wilson,  Jr... 

J.  G.  Morrison 

Stowesville;  T.  H.  Gaither 

Gaither 

Empire  Plaid  Mills;  E.H.C.Field.Tr's 

Mt.  Pleasant;  W.  M.  Kime,  Treas 

Oakdale;  J.  S.  Ragsdale,  Treas 

Mineola;  L.  S.  Holt 

Hiawatha;  B.  Davidson 

^Proximity;  F.  J.  Murdoch 

Guilford;  (Corporation) 

Crown  Mills;  G.  D.  Devenish,  Treas.. 

Hocamuga  Mills 

Scotland  Neck;  A.  McDowell 

*United  Industrial  Co.;  of  Roanoke.... 
*Roanoke  Cotton  Mills;  W.  Parker.... 
Carolina  Knitt'g  Mills;  P.W.Hart  &  Co 

Hendersonville  Mills;  (Hosiery) 

Turnersburg;  Stimpson  &  Steele 

Statesville;  W.  Wallace 

Mooresville,  J.  E.  Sherrill 

Elm  Grove,  R.  S.  Reinhart,  Treas 

Long  Shoals 

Laboratory;  D.  E.  Rhyne  &  Co 

Lincoln;  J.  A.  Abernathy 

Dearmouth;  J.  L.  Keistler 

Orion  Knitting  Mills;  J.  F.  Taylor 

Charlotte;  R.  M.  Gates 

Atherton;  D.  A.  Tompkins 

Ada;  M.  C.  Mayer 

Victor;  Geo.  E.  Wilson 

Alpha;  C.  Scott 

Highland  Park;  W.  E.  Holt 

*0.  A.  Robins  Co.,  (Sash  Cord) 

Crowley;  John  Crowley 

Louise;  H.  S.  Chadwick 

Charlotte  Oil  &  Fert.  Co.  (Batting),. . 

Virgin; 

Cornelius;  J.  B.  Cornelius 

Linden;  J.  P.Monroe 

Dover;  J.  P.  Wilson 

Jonesboro;  E.  F.  Acree 

Yadkin  Falls;  F.  J.  Murdoch 

National  Mfg.  Co 

Rocky  Mount;  Thos.  H.  Battle 


No.  of 
Spin- 
dles. 


6,000 

4,032 

3,100 

10,000 

15,000 

6,250 

11,200 

2,080 

5,000 

7,000 

6,000 

1,664 

2,500 


1,872 
7,000 
1,300 
2,000 
7,644 
5,500 
6,000 


No.  of 
Looms 


2,500 
12,000 


1,200 
6,000 
3,500 
3,500 
2,080 
7,000 
5,000 
1,500 


9,984 
10,000 
7,920 
13,600 
6,500 
6,000 
1,000 


10,000 


4,800 
2,500 
5,376 
3,000 
4,000 
6,000 
25,000 


•In  course  of  construction. 


Cotton  Factories. 


195 


County  and  Post  Office. 


New  Hanover.. Wilmington. . 

Orange Hillsboro 

Pasquotank Elizabeth  City 

Pasquotank...  .Elizabeth  City 

Randolph Randleman.... 

Randolph Randleman. . . 

Randolph Franklinsville 

Randolph Cedar  Falls. .  . 

Randolph Ramsuer 

Randolph Franklinsville 

Randolph Worthville 

Randolph Randleman. . . 

Randolph Coleridge 

Randolph Staley 

Randolph Randleman. . . 

Randolph Gray  Chapel. . 

Randolph Worthville.. . . 

Randolph Randleman. . . 

Randolph Ashboro 

Richmond Rockingham.. 

Richmond Laurel  Hill. . . 

Richmond Laurel  Hill... 

Richmond Laurel  Hill. . . 

Richmond Rockingham. . 

Richmond Rockingham. . 

Richmond Rockingham. . 

Richmond Rockingham. . 

Richmond Rockingham.. 

Robeson Maxton 

Rockingham.  .Reidsville 

Rockingham.  .Leaksville .... 

Rockingham . .  Mayo 

Rockingham . .  Madis on 

Rowan China  Grove. . 

Rowan China  Grove. . 

P..owan Salisbury 

Rowan Salisbury 

Rowan Salisbury 

Rowan ....Salisbury 

Rutherford. . . . Henrietta 

Rutherford Forest  City . . . 

Surry Elkin 

Surry Elkin 

Surry Laurel  Bluff. . . 

Surry Mount  Airy.. . 

Stanly Albemarle. . . . 

Union Monroe 

Wake Raleigh. . . 

Wake Raleigh.. . 

Wake Raleigh... 

Wayne Goldsboro 

Wilson Wilson... 


Name  of  Mill,  President  or  Manager 


Wilmington ;  Hugh  MacRae 

*Hillsboro  Cotton  Factory;   Hock  Co. 

*Elizabeth  City;  Dr.  McMullen 

Fowler;  S.  Fowler 

Randleman;  J.  H.  Ferree,  Treasurer.. 
Powhattan;  J.  S.  Walker,  Treasurer.. 
Randolph;  Hugh  Parks,  Treasurer. .  . 

Cedar  Falls;  J.  M.  Worth 

Columbia;  J.  S.  Spencer 

Franklinsville;  B.  Moffitt,  Treasurer.. 

Worth  (No.  i);J.  M.  Worth 

Naomi  Falls;  S.  Bryant,  Treas 

Enterprise;  J.  A.  Cole,  Treas 

Staley ; 

Randleman  Hosiery  Mill;S.G.Newlin. 
Piedmont  Hosiery  Mill;W.  M.  Courts. 

Engleworth;  H.  M.  Worth 

Plaidville;  James.  H.  Ferree,  Treas.... 
Ashboro  Knitt'g  Mills;A.C. McAllister 

Ledbetter;  T.  B.  Ledbetter 

Richmond;  M.  Morgan 

Ida;  M.  Morgan 

Springfield;  M.  Morgan 

Roberdel;  Robt.  L.  Steele 

Pee  Dee;  W.  C.  Leak 

Great  Falls;  W.  I.  Everett,  Treasurer 

Midway;  Leak,  Watt  &  McRae 

Steele's;  Robt.  L.  Steele 

Maxton;  W.  L.  Field 

Edna;  J.  W.  Arrington 

*Spray;  Dr.  George  Mebane 

Mayodeu;  W.  C.  Ruffin,  Secretary 

Madison;  S.  Mead 

Patterson;  J.  W.  Cannon 

Braiding  W'ks.  S.  Littman  (Cordage) 
Rowan  Knitting  Mills,  T.  Bearbaum. 

Salisbury;  F.  J.  Murdoch 

Vance;  F.  J.  Murdoch 

Kestler 

Henrietta  (Nos.  i  &  2);  J.  S.  Spencer. 

^Florence;  R.  R.  Haynes 

Elkin;  T.J.  LiHard 

Chatham  Mfg.  Co 

Laurel  Bluff;  A.  J.  Thompson 

Hamburg;  L.  F.  Ross 

Efird  Mfg.  Co. ;  J.  W.  Cannon 

Monroe;  W.  C.  Heath,  Treasurer.. . . 

Caraleigh;  F.  O.  Moring 

Pilot  Mills;  J.  N.  &  W.  H.  Williamson 

Raleigh;  C.  G.  Latta , 

Wayne;  Solomon  Weil 

Wilson;  A.  Branch 


No.  of  ^^ 
Spin-       No.  of 
dies.  I-ooms 


8,000 


5,000 
1,000 
5,000 
1,800 
1,900 
3.936 
9,400 
2,200 
12,000 
5,000 
1,800 
1,080 


2,500 


2,080 
5,000 
3.024 
2,304 
6,000 
6,112 

4,585 

2,050 

10,304 

1,500 

10,500 

io,c8o 

15,168 

1,000 

4,160 

640 
15,250 
10,000 

5,000 
62,000 
12,200 

1,853 


3,122 
800 
4,100 
8,500 
7,280 
3,000 
10,800 
3,808 
7,200 


226 


224 
68 
52 

"248 

40 

370 

200 


70 
193 


300 
300 
132 

300 

300 


100 
130 


503 


2,000 


40 
30 

130 

264 
154 


•In  course  of  construction. 


196 


North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


WOOLEN   MILLS. 


CODNTY  AND    POST  OFFICB. 


Alamance Snow  Camp.. 

Ashe Helton 

Buncombe Weaverville. 

Chatham ......  Patterson. . . . 

Forsyth Salem 

Guilford Freeman 

Haywood Waynesville. 

Surry Mt.  Airy 

Surry Elkin 

Surry Mt.  Airy 


Name  of  Mili.,  Owner  or  President. 


Dixon;  T.  F.  Mclver 

Helton;  Perkins,  Waugh  &  Co 

Reems  Creek;  John  Cairns 

Gwyn    Harper   Co.;  S.  F.  Harper. . . 

Salem;  F.  &  H.  Fries 

Freeman's;  Bodie  &  Freeman 

Richland;  D.  Drayton,  Perry  &  Co. 

Green  Hill;  M.  J.  Hawkins 

Elkin;  Chatham  Mfg.  Company 

A.  Allred 


No.  of 

No.  of 

Spin- 
dles. 

Looms 

476 

13 

312 

8 

480 

20 

684 

5S 

.... 

12 

250 

8 

425 

35 

700 

30 

240 

4 

COTTON  BY=PRODUCTS. 


Among  the  most  important  by-products  of  cotton  is  tlie  business 
of  crushing  the  seed  for  oil,  which  is  again  followed  by  the  value  of 
the  meal  for  both  stock  food  and  as  a  source  of  nitrogen  in  fertilizers, 
and  of  the  hull  as  a  stock  food.  The  seed  as  they  come  from  the  gin 
are  per  ton,  physically  composed  about  as  follows: 

Short  lint 75  pounds 

Hull 915        " 

Oil 300        " 

Meal 610        " 

The  short  lint  has  a  limited  sale  for  use  in  batting  and  waddings 
The  hull  is  now  extensively  used  as  stock  feed — it  was  formerly  used 
as  fuel  at  the  mills.  The  oil  is  used  to  make  lard,  soap,  candles, 
table  or  "olive"  oil,  to  pack  sardines,  as  a  lubricant  and  for  illumina- 
tion in  mines,  &c.  It  is  sold  through  commission  merchants  in  our 
great  cities.  The  meal  is  used  as  a  stock  food  and  largely  in  the 
manufacture  of  fertilizers.  The  hull  and  meal  mixed  in  proper 
proportions,  make  a  very  nearly  complete  food  for  the  fattening  of  beef 
cattle. 

Appended  is  a  table  showing  the  distribution  of  the  cotton  seed,., 
fertilizer  and  bone  mills  in  the  State: 


Cotton  Seed,  Fertilizer  and  Bone  Mills. 


197 


COTTON  SEED,    FERTILIZER  AND  BONE  MILLS. 


County  and  Post  Office. 


Carteret,  Beaufort 

Columbus,  Wilmington 

Craven,  Newbern 

Cumberland,   Fayetteville.... 

Durham,   Durham 

Edgecombe,  Battleboro 

Edgecombe,  Conetoe 

Edgecombe,  Tarboro 

Edgecombe,  Tarboro 

Edgecombe,  Tarboro 

Guilford,  High  Point 

Guilford,  Jamestown 

Guilford,  Jamestown 

Mecklenburg,  Charlotte. . . . 

Mecklenburg,   Charlotte 

New  Hanover,  Wilmington.. 
New  Hanover,  Wilmington.. 
New  Hanover,  Wilmington.. 
New  Hanover,  Wilmington.. 
Pasquotank,  Elizabeth  City.. 

Richmond,  Laurinburg 

Richmond,  Gibson  Station... 

Rockingham,  Reidsville 

Wake,  Raleigh 

Wake,  Raleigh 

Wayne,  Goldsboro 


Fish  Scrap 

Fertilizers 

Fertilizers 

Cotton  Seed  Oil  &  Meal. 

Fertilizers 

Cotton  Seed,  Oil  &  Cake. 
Cotton  Seed,  Oil  &  Cake. 
Cotton  Seed,  Oil  &  Cake. 
Cotton  Seed,  Oil  &  Cake 

Fertilizers 

Cotton  Seed,  Oil  &  Meal 

Bone  Meal.. 

Bone  Meal 

Fert.  &  Cotton  Seed  Oil. 
Cotton  Seed  Oil  &  Meal. 

Fertilizers 

Fertilizers 

Fertilizers 

Cotton  Seed  Oil  &  Meal. 
Cotton  Seed  Oil  &  Meal. 
Cotton  Seed  Oil  &  Meal. 

Acid  Phosphates. .  - 

Fertilizers 

Fertilizers 

Fert.  &  Cotton  Seed  Oil. 
Pert.  &  Cotton  Seed  Oil. 


Owner  or  Manager. 


Bell,  Westbrook  &  Co. . . 

Acme  Mfg.  Co 

E.H.&.  J.A.Meadows  Co. 

J.  R.  Williams 

Durham  Fertilizer  Co.... 

Dr.  R.  H.  Speight 

N.  B.  Dawson 

W.N.  Smith 

E.  V.  Zeoller 

F.  S.  Royster  Guano  Co.. 

Joseph  Crudup 

Henry  Potter   

Ragsdale  &  Smith 

Charlotte  Oil  &  Fert.  Co. 

N.  C.  Cotton  Oil  Co 

Navassa  Guano  Co 

Powers,  Gibbs  &  Co 

J.  F.  Garrell&Co 

N.  C.  Cotton  Oil  Co. 

Cotton  Seed  Oil  Co 

Robt.  Covington 

Marlboro  Mill  Co 

Reidsville  Fert  Co 

Caraleigh  Phos.Fert.  Wks 
N.  C.  Cotton  Seed  Oil  Co. 
Goldsboro  Oil  Co 


TOBACCO  HANUFACTURINQ. 


This  is  one  of  tlie  State's  most  important  industries;  it  has  been, 
perhaps,  the  most  stimulating  in  its  effects  upon  trade  and  in  develop- 
ing the  energy  and  enterprise  of  the  people,  especially  in  the  towns. 
Indeed,  it  may  be  called  the  "town-building  industry"  of  the  State, 
amply  illustrated  in  Durham,  Winston,  Reidsville,  Henderson  and  in 
many  other  towns  of  less  prominence,  or  in  less  degree  attributable  to 
the  manufacture  of  tobacco.  There  can  be  no  questioning  the 
influence  of  this  industry  on  the  cities  named,  and  all  over  the  tobacco 
growing  area  of  the  State  there  are  busy,  thriving  villages  and 
communities  which  owe  much  to  the  presence  of  tobacco  in  one  form 
or  another.  It  has  been  a  potent  factor  in  building  up  the  fortunes  of 
the  people,  and  will  continue  to  be  of  great  value  to  the  State.  As  a 
matter  of  interest,  the  following  table  will  show  the  distribution  of 
the  factories  in  North  Carolina. 


North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


TOBACCO  FACTORIES. 


County. 


Alexander 

Alexander. 

Buncombe. 

Buncombe. 

Buncombe 

Buncombe 

Buncombe 

Buncombe , 

Burke 

Caswell . . . 
Caswell  . . . 
Catawba.... 
Cleveland.. 
Cherokee... 
Davie. ... 

Davie 

Davie 

Davie 

Davie 

Davie 

Davie 

Davie 

Davie 

Davie 

Davie 

Davie 

Davie , 

Davidson... 
Davidson. . 
Davidson.  . 
Davidson , . 
Davidson  . . 
Durham... 
Durham  . . . 
Durham. . . 
Durham  . . 
Durham.. . 
Durham  . . , 
Durham.. . 
Durham  . . 
Durham  . . 

Durham  . . 

Forsyth 

Forsyth . . . 

Forsyth. . . 

Forsyth . . . 

Forsyth . . . 

Forsyth . . . 

Forsyth . . . 

Forsyth. . . 

Forsyth. . . 

Forsyth . . . 

Forsyth . . . 

Forsyth . . . 

Forsyth . . . 

Forsyth... 


Name  of  Factory  and  Owner  or  Manager 


Taylorsville  Tobacco  Co.,  R.  P.  Matheson. 

Tobacco  Factory;  Smith  &  Beckham 

Cigars;  Asheville  Cigar  Co 

Cigars;  A.  Trifield 

Tobacco  Factory;  E.  I.  Holmes  &  Co 

Tobacco  Factory;  C.  C.  Mc.Carty , 

Tobacco  Factory;  Porter  &  Yates , 

Tobacco  Factory;  Ashworth  &  Jason 

Sally  Michael  Tobacco  Co.  Laxton  Bros... 

Tobacco  Factory;  King  Bros 

Tobacco  Factory;  N.  E.  Oliver 

Sherrill's  Tobacco  Co.;  J.  F.  Long. 

Tobacco  Factory 

Tobacco  Factory 

Tobacco  Factory 

Tobacco  Factory 

Tobacco  Factory 

Tobacco  Factory 

Tobacco  Factory 

Tobacco  Factory 

Tobacco  Factory 

Tobacco  Factory 

Tobacco  Factory 

Tobacco  Factory 

Tobacco  Factory 

Tobacco  Factory 

Tobacco  Factory 

Tobacco  Factory 

Cigar  Factory;  J 

Tobacco  Factory 

Tobacco  Factory 

Tobacco  Factory 


;  H.  C.  Burrus 

;  Jno.  R.  Martin 

;  J.  G.  Peebles 

;  H.  T.  Smithdeal 

;C.  D.  Ward   

;  Sanford  &  Williams 

;  Robertson  &  Son 

;  S.  A.  Jarvis  &  Co 

;  James  Sheek 

;  Rufus  Bowles 

;  J.  R.  Cornelison 

;  H.  W.  Dulin 

;  E.  Frost 

;  Wm.  F.  James 

;T.  F.  Atkinson 

;  A.  A.  Springs 

.  A.  Leach  &  Co 

;T.  S.  Dale  &  Co 

;  Green,  Rea  &  Co 

;  R.  Everhart 

Blackwell's  Durham  Tobacco  Co.;  J.  S.  Carr. . 
Morris  Manufacturing.  Co.;  S.  F.  Tomlinson.. 

American  Tobacco  Co.,  W.  Duke  Sons  Co 

Mallory  Durham  Cheroot  Co 

Cigars;  Sam'l  Cramer  &  Co 

J.  Y.  Whitted  Tobacco  Co.,  Corporation 

Lyon  &  Co.,  Tobacco  Works,  Corporation  . . . 

Cigars  &  Cigarettes;  S.  R.  Carrington 

Cigars;  Lyon  &  Reed 

Tobacco  Factory,  Farmers'  Alliance  Mfg.  Co.. 

Tobacco  Factory;  Bailey  Bros 

Tobacco  Factory;  J.  A.  Bitting 

Tobacco  Factory;  Blackburg-Harvey  &  Co. . . . 

Tobacco  Factory;  F.  M.  Bohannon 

Tobacco  Factory;  Brown  Bros.  &  Co 

Tobacco  Factory;  Bynum  &  Crutchfield 

Tobacco  Factory;  Brown  &  Williamson.    

Tobacco  Factory;  R.  L.  Candler  &  Co 

Tobacco  Factory;  Casey  &  Wright. 

Tobacco  Factory;  Casper-Efland-Miller  Co.. . . 

Tobacco  Factory;  W.  S.  Clarey  &  Co 

Tobacco  Factory;  Dalton,  Farrow  &  Co 

Tobacco  Factory ;  Dalton,  &  Ellington 

Tobacco  Factory;  W.  B.  Ellis  &  Co 


Post  Office. 


Taylorsville. 

Hiddenite. 

Asheville. 

Asheville. 

Asheville. 

Asheville. 

Asheville. 

Fair  View. 

Morganton. 

Blackwell. 

Milton. 

Catawba. 

Mooresboro. 

Cobbs. 

Elbaville. 

Advance. 

Advance. 

Mocksville. 

Mocksville 

Farmington. 

Mocksville. 

Farmington. 

Farmington. 

Redland. 

Canna. 

Farmington. 

Dulins. 

Lexington. 

Thomasville. 

Yadkin  College 

Yadkin  College 

Arnald. 

Durham. 

Durham. 

Durham. 

Durham. 

Durham. 

Durham. 

Durham. 

Durham. 

Durham. 

Durham. 

Winston. 

Winston. 

Winston. 

Winston. 

Winston. 

Winston. 

Winston. 

Winston. 

Winston. 

Winston. 

Winston. 

^Vinston. 

Winston. 

Winston. 


Tobacco  Factories. 


199 


County. 


Forsyth., 
Forsyth.. 
Forsyth. . 
Forsyth.. 
Forsyth.. 
Forsyth. . 
Forsyth . 
Forsyth. . 
Forsyth  . 
Forsyth. . 
Forsyth  . 
Forsyth.. 
Forsyth . . 
Forsyth  . 
Forsyth  . 
Forsyth . . 
Forsyth. . 
Forsyth. . 
Forsyth . . 
Forsyth. . 
Forsyth. . 
Forsyth. . 
Forsyth.. 
Forsyth. . 
Forsyth.. 
Forsyth. . 
Forsyth.. 
Forsyth.. 
Forsyth. . 
Forsyth. . 
Forsyth.. 
Forsyth. . 
Forsyth. . 
Forsyth. . 
Forsyth. . 
Forsyth.., 
Forsyth.. 
Forsyth.. 
Forsyth.. 
Forsyth.. 
Forsyth... 
Forsyth. . 
Forsyth.. 
Forsyth.. 
Forsyth.. 
Forsyth... 
Forsyth.. 
Forsyth.. 
Forsyth.. 
Franklin. 
Granville 
Granville 
Granville 
Granville 
Granville 
Guilford. 
Guilford. 
Guilford. 
Guilford.. 


Name  of  Factory  and  Owner  or  Manager. 


Tobacco  Factory;  Hamlen  Iviipfert  &  Co. . 

Tobacco  Factory;  B.  F.  Hanes 

Tobacco  Factory;  P.  H.  Hanes  &  Co 

Tobacco  Factory;  Ed.  Rintels  &  Co 

Tobacco  Factory;  Hodgins  Bros.  &  Lunn.. 

Tobacco  Factory;  H.  B.  Ireland  &  Co 

Tobacco  Factory;  Kerner  Bros , 

Tobacco  Factory;  Lockett,  Vaughn  &  Co.. 

Tobacco  Factory;  S.  A.  Ogburn 

Tobacco  Factory;  Ogburn,  Hill  &  Co 

Tobacco  Factory;  M.  L.  Ogburn 

Tobacco  Factory;  Reynolds  Bros , 

Tobacco  Factory;  R.  J.  Reynolds  &  Co 

Tobacco  Factory;  Ed.  Rintels  &  Co 

Tobacco  Factory;  Taylor  Bros , 

Tobacco  Factory;  T.  L.  Vaughn  &  Co 

Tobacco  Factory;  Cox  &  Co 

Tobacco  Factory;  O.  J.  Sheppard , 

Tobacco  Factory;  Walker  Bros 

Tobacco  Factory;  W.  A.  Whitaker 

Tobacco  Factory;  T.  F.  Williamson  &  Co., 
Tobacco  Factory;  N.  S.  &  T.  J.  Wilson..  . . 

Tobacco  Factory;  W.  W.  Wood  &  Co 

Smoking  Tobacco;  Byerly  &  Son , 

Smoking  Tobacco;  W.  C.  Lassiter  &  Co. . , 

Smoking  Tobacco;  T.  F.  Leak  &  Co 

Smoking  Tobacco;  Mosley  &  Martin 

Tobacco  Works;  Central  Commercial  Co... 

Tobacco  Works;  Ebert,  Payne  &  Co ,, 

Smoking  Tobacco;  Walker  Bros , 

Cigars;  J.  D.  King 

Cigars;  Liipfert  &  Jones   , 

Cigars;  V.  O.  Thompson 

Cigarettes;  Liberty  Tobacco  Works 

Cigarettes;  Brown  Bros  &  Co 

Cigarettes;  W.  F.  Smith  &  Son 

Tobacco  Factory 

Tobacco  Factory 

Tobacco  Factory 

Tobacco  Factory 

Tobacco  Factory 

Tobacco  Factory 

Tobacco  Factory 

Tobacco  Factory 

Tobacco  Factory 

Tobacco  Factory 

Tobacco  Factory 

Tobacco  Factory 

Tobacco  Factory 

Tobacco  Factory 

Tobacco  Factory 

Tobacco  Factory 

Tobacco  Factory 

Tobacco  Factory 

Tobacco  Factory 


J.  G.  Fulton 

J.  F.  Shaffner 

F.  A.  Crews 

N.  D.  Sullivan.. 

Greenfield  &  Galloway. . 

J.  M.  Greenfield 

Lowery  Sons  &  Co 

Leak  Bros.  &  Hasten. . , 

Beard  &  Roberts 

J.  F.  Kerner  &  Co 

B   A.  Brown 

Shore,  Atkins  &  Co 

O.  J.  Lehman 

R.  R.  Holmes 

Alonzo  Mitchell 

E.  L.  Harris 

D.  C.  Farrawbow 

J.  Walter  Howell 

Elias  J.  Jenkins 

W.  P.  Pickett  &  Co 


Tobacco  Factory 

Cigar  Factory;  W.  H.  Snow 

Tobacco  Factory;  H.  C.  Brittain. . 
Tobacco  Factory,  Jno,  F.  Highfill 


Post  Office. 


Winston. 

Winston. 

Winston. 

Winston. 

Winston. 

Winston. 

Winston. 

Winston. 

Winston. 

Winston. 

Winston. 

Winston. 

Winston. 

Winston. 

Winston. 

Winston. 

Winston. 

Winston. 

Winston. 

Winston. 

Winston. 

Winston. 

Winston. 

Winston. 

Winston. 

Winston. 

Winston. 

Winston. 

Winston. 

Winston. 

Winston. 

Winston. 

Winston. 

Winston. 

Winston. 

Winston. 

Goodwill. 

Salem. 

Walkertown. 

Walkertown. 

Kernersville. 

Kernersville. 

Kernersville. 

Kernersville. 

Kernersville. 

Kernersville. 

Kernersville. 

Kernersville. 

Bethania. 

Franklintown. 

Wilton. 

Wilton. 

Stem. 

Clay. 

Zacho. 

High  Point. 

High  Point. 

Summerfield. 

Scalesville. 


200 


North  Carolina  and  its  Re;source;s. 


County. 


Guilford 

Guilford 

Guilford 

Guilford 

Guilford 

Guilford 

Guilford 

Guilford 

Guilford.  ... 

Iredell 

Iredell 

Iredell 

Iredell 

Iredell 

Iredell 

Iredell ,. . 

Iredell 

Iredell 

Iredell 

McDowell...  . 
Mecklenburg 
Mecklenburg 

Nash 

Nash 

Orange 

Orange 

Orange 

Orange  .    . . . 

Person 

Person 

Rockingham 

Rockingham 

Rockingham 

Rockingham 

Rockingham 

Rockingham 

Rockingham 

Rockingham 

Rockingham 

Rockingham 

Rockingham. 

Rockingham. 

Rockingham. 

Rockingham 

Rockingham 

Rockingham. 

Rockingham 

Rockingham 

Rockingham. 

Rockingham 

Rockingham. 

Rowan 

Rowan 

Stokes 

Stokes 

Stokes 

Stokes 

Stokes 

Stokes  


Name  of  Factory  and  Owner  or  Manager. 


Tobacco  Factory;  Ogburn  &  Co 

Tobacco  Factory;  Jno.  L.  King  &  Co 

Tobacco  Factory;  E.  J.  &  A.  J.  Stafford 

Tobacco  Factory;  Leak  Bros.  &  Hasten 

Tobacco  Factory;  Lea  &  Tate 

Cigar  Factory;  S.  B.  Kersey 

Cigar  Factory;  P.  C.  Heath 

Cigar  Factory;  J.  A.  Hodgin 

Cigar  Factory;  W.  F.  Clegg 

Tobacco  Factory;  Irwin  &  Poston 

Tobacco  Factory;  Miller  &  Clifiord. 

Cigars;  Louis  Clark 

Smoking  Tobacco;  J.  H.  McElwee 

Tobacco  Factory;  Iredell  Tobacco  Co 

Tobacco  Factory;  Rankin  Bros.  Tobacco  Co. . 

Tobacco  Factory;  Benson  &  Plyer 

Tobacco  Factory;  Kee  &  Co 

Tobacco  Factory;  H.  Clark  &  Son 

Tobacco  Factory;  Ashe  &  Sons 

Tobacco  Factory;  Morgan  Tobacco  Co 

Cigar  Factory;  E.  L.  Martin 

Cigar  Factory;  C.  H.  Eckstein  &  Son 

Tobacco  Factory;  Atlantic  Tobacco  Works. , . 

Tobacco  Factory;  Rocky  Mt.  Tobacco  Wks 

Tobacco  Factory;  N.  W.  Brown  &  Bro 

Tobacco  Factory;  R.  C.  Hill 

Tobacco  Factory;  H.  P.  Jones  &  Co. 

Tobacco  Factory;  S.  T.  Forest 

Tobacco  Factory;  J.  N.  Ranes  &  Co  

Smoking  Tobacco;  Long  &  Hubbard 

Tobacco  Factory;  J.  C.  &  E.  B.  King 

Tobacco  Factory;  D.F.King 

Tobacco  Factory;   J.  B.  Taylor  Tobacco  Co. . . 

Tobacco  Factory;  Wm.  Shultz  &  Co 

Tobacco  Factory;  B.  F.  Ivie 

Tobacco  Factory;  Alliance  Mfg.  Co 

Tobacco  Factory;  Joyce,  Garrett  &  Stone 

Tobacco  Factory;  W.  P.  Grogan 

Tobacco  Factory;  R.  P.  Price 

Tobacco  Factory;  C.  L.  Smith         

Tobacco  Factory ;  Dez.  Martin 

Tobacco  Factory;  J.  W.  Mangum 

Tobacco  Factory;  Pegram  &  Penn ,. . . . 

Tobacco  Factory;  F.  R.  Penn  &  Co 

Smoking  Tobacco;  R.  P.  Richardson,  Jr 

Tobacco  Factory;  R.  T.  Stone  &  Co 

Tobacco  Factory;    Robert  Harris  &  Bro 

Tobacco  Factory;    Watt,  Penn  &  Co 

Tobacco  Factory;   A.  H.  Motley  Co 

Tobacco  Factory;  Johnston  Bros 

Tobacco  and  Cigar  Fac'y;  Wm. Lindsay  &  Co. 

Tobacco  Factory;    D.    L.    Gaskill 

Tobacco  Factory;  Holmes  &  Miller 

Tobacco  Factory;  J.  R.  Jewell   

Tobacco  Factory;  A.  J.  Fair 

Tobacco  Factory;  J.  G.  Fulton 

Tobacco  Factory;  M.  Smith,  Sr 

Tobacco  Factory;  D.  N.  Dal  ton. 

Tobacco  Factory;  Culler  &  Co 


Post  Oflace. 


Summerfield. 

Greensboro. 

Greensboro. 

Greensboro. 

Greensboro. 

Greensboro. 

Greensboro. 

Greensboro. 

Greensboro. 

Statesville. 

Statesville. 

Statesville. 

Statesville. 

Statesville. 

Statesville. 

Mooresville. 

Statesville. 

Statesville. 

Statesville. 

Marion. 

Charlotte. 

Charlotte. 

Rocky  Mount. 

Rocky  Mount. 

Hillsboro. 

Hillsboro. 

Hillsboro. 

Efland. 

Bethel  HiU. 

Roxboro. 

Leaksville. 

Leaksville. 

Leaksville. 

Leaksville. 

Leaksville. 

Stoneville. 

Stoneville. 

Grogansville. 

Price. 

Price. 

Madison. 

Madison. 

Madison. 

Reidsville. 

Reidsville. 

Stoneville. 

Reidsville. 

Reidsville. 

Reidsville. 

Reidsville. 

Reidsville. 

Salisbury. 

Salisbury. 

Jewell. 

Walnut  Cove. 

Walnut  Cove. 

Francisco. 

Dalton. 

Pinnacle. 


Tobacco  Factories 


20I 


County. 


Stokes.. 
Stokes. . 
Stokes. . 
Surry . . . 
Surry.  . . 
Surry. . . 
Surry. . . 
Surry .  . 
Surry . . . 
Surry. . . 
Surry. . . 
Surry. . . 
Surry .  , . 
Surry.  . . 
Surry. . . 
Surry. . . 
Surry  . . . 
Surry  . . . 
Surry. . . 
Surry . . . 
Surry  . . . 
Surry. . . 
Surry . . . 
Surry. . . 
Surry . . . 
Surry . . . 
Surry  . . 
Surry. . . 
Surry. . . 
Surry  . . 
Surry . .  ; 
Surry. . . 
Surry .  . . 
Surry. . . 
Surry.  . . 
Surry  . . 
Surry.  . . 
Vance  . . 
Vance  . 
Vance  . . 
Wake... 
Wake... 
Wake... 
Wake . . . 
Warren 
Warren. 
Wayne . . 
Wilkes.. 
Wilkes. . 
Wilkes... 
Wilkes.. 
Wilkes.. 
Wilkes.. 
Wilkes.. 
Wilson.. 
Yadkin. , 
Yadkin.. 
Yadkin., 
Yadkin. , 


Name  of  Factorj'  and  Owner  or  Manager. 


Post  Office. 


Tobacco  Factory 
Tobacco  Factory 
Tobacco  Factory 
Tobacco  Factory 
Tobacco  Factory 
Tobacco  Factor}^ 
Tobacco  Factory 
Tobacco  Factory 
Tobacco  Factory 
Tobacco  Factory 
Tobacco  Factory 
Tobacco  Factory 
Tobacco  Factory 
Tobacco  Factory 
Tobacco  Factory 
Tobacco  Factory 
Tobacco  Factors- 
Tobacco  Factory 
Tobacco  Factory 
Tobacco  Factory 
Tobacco  Factory 
Tobacco  Factory 
Tobacco  Factory 
Tobacco  Factory 
Tobacco  Factory 
Tobacco  Factory 
Tobacco  Factory 
Tobacco  Factor}' 
Tobacco  Factory 
Tobacco  Factory 
Tobacco  Factory 
Tobacco  Factory 
Cigar  Factory;  W 

Cigar  Factory;  Armfield  &  Co 

Tobacco  Factory;  L.  J.  Key 

Tobacco  Factory;  G.  L.   Matthews 

Tobacco  Factory;  H.  H.  Marion 

Tobacco  Factory;  Coroliua  Tobacco  Co.. . . 

Cigars  and  Cigarettes;  D.  Aycock 

Tobacco  Factory;  Davis  Tobacco  Co 

Tobacco  Factory;  J.  E.  Pogue 

Smoking  Tobacco;  Jesse  G.  Ball 

Cigars;  J.  M.  Norwood 

Cigars;  W.  A.  Sutton 

Smoking  Tobacco;  Bright  Belt  Tobacco  Co. 

Tobacco  Factory;  J.  D.  Scott 

Smoking  Tobacco;  Michie  Tobacco  Co 

Tobacco  Factory;  R.  H.  Spainhour , 

Tobacco  Factory;  Gilliam  Bros 

Tobacco  Factory;  J.  C.  Green  &  Co 

Tobacco  Factory;  Hall  &  Davidson 

Tobacco  Factory;  W.  H.  Reeves 

Tobacco  Factory;  Joshua  Spicer 

Tobacco  Factory;  J.  T.  Welborn  &  Co 

Tobacco  Factory;  Wilson  Tobacco  Works.. 

Tobacco  Factory;  W.  L,.  Kelly 

Tobacco  Factory;  E-L.  Jarvis 

Tobacco  Factory ;  J .  E.  Zachary 

Tobacco  Factory;  James  Spear 


;  D.   W.  Dodd 

,  Culler    &  Sons 

;  Bernard  &  Sullivan 

;  R.  G.  Franklin 

;  Forkner  &  Key 

;  J.  R.  Forkner 

;  W.  R.  Doss  &  Bros 

;  Samuel  Forkner  &  Co. . . . 
;  G.  W.  Samuels   &  Co..., 

;  J.  R.  LeAvellyn  &  Co 

;  H.  Holvfield 

;  W.  P.  Dobson  &  Co 

;  Forkner,  Redman  &  Son. 

;  Redman  Bros 

;  Dix,Flippin&Co 

;  V.   Boyles'   Tob.    Co 

;  Dobson  &  Bros 

;  E.J.  Stone  &  Son 

;  Key,  Simmonds  &  Co.  . . . 

;  Sparger  Bros 

;  Ashby's  Sons,  L.  W 

,  Forkner,  Olive  &  Co 

;  R.  L.  Gwynn  &  Bros 

;  W.  E.  Patterson  &  Co 

;  Fulton   Bros 

;  J.  D.  Satterfield  &  Co 

;  Prather  &  Whitlock 

;  Wm.  C.  Moore 

;  Hadley  &  Smith 

;  W.   L.    Moody 

;  Lower}',  Sons  &  Co 

;  McKinney  &  Bro 

E.   Cox 


.  King. 

Culler 
,  Culler 

Elkin. 

Forge. 

Forge. 

Copeland. 

Dobson. 
,  Dobson. 
,  Dobson. 

Rockford. 

Rockford. 

Pilot  Mountain. 

Pilot  Mountain. 

Pilot  Mountain. 

Pilot  Mountain. 

Pilot  Mountain. 

Pilot  Mountain. 

Pilot  Mountain. 

Mt.  Airy. 

Mt.  Airy. 

ilt.  Airy. 

Mt.  Airy. 

Mt.  Airy. 

Mt.  Airy. 

Mt.  Airy. 

Mt.  Airy. 

Mt.  Airy. 

Mt.  Airy. 

Mt.  Airy. 

Mt.  Airy. 

Mt.  Airy. 

Mt.  Airy. 

Mt.  Airy. 

Belo. 

Siloam. 

Siloam. 

Henderson. 

Henderson. 

Henderson. 

Raleigh. 

Raleigh. 

Raleigh. 

Raleigh. 

Warrenton. 

Ridgeway. 

Goldsboro. 

Moravian  Falls. 

Lucile. 

Clingman. 

Wilkesboro. 

Roaring  River, 

Ashboro. 

Wilkesboro. 

Wilson. 

Yadkinville. 

Yadkin\411e. 

Yadkinville. 

Boonville. 


202 


North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


County. 

Name  of  Factory  and  Owner  or  Manager. 

Post  OflSce. 

Yadkin 

Tobacco  Factory;  J.  H.  Vestal 

Footville 

Yadkin 

Tobacco  Factory;  V.  S.  C.  Way 

Cross  Roads  Cli 

Yadkin 

Tobacco  Factory;  W.  E.  Bovender 

Tobacco  Factory;  Morse  &  Wade 

Republic. 
East  Bend 

Yadkin 

Yadkin 

Tobacco  Factory;  R.  G.  Patterson 

East  Bend 

Yadkin 

Tobacco  Factory;  Jno.  A.  Martin 

East  Bend. 

Yadkin 

Tobacco  Factory ;  J.  H.  Warren 

Tilden. 

Yadkin 

Tobacco  Factory;  E.  C.  Kirkman 

Jonesville. 
Mount  Nebo. 

Yadkin 

Tobacco  Factory;  Vestal  &  Wooten , 

niSCELLANEOUS  INDUSTRIES. 


Scattered  all  over  the  State  may  be  found  great  numbers  of 
small  industries,  some  employing  steam,  some  water  power  and  others 
worked  by  hand.  These  include  the  manufacture  of  buggies,  carria- 
ges, wagons,  hubs,  spokes,  handles,  furniture,  sash,  doors  and  blinds, 
buckets  and  leather,  and  tanneries,  grist  mills,  canneries,  ice  factories 
and  other  industries  of  miscellaneous  character.  Comparatively  insig- 
nificant taken  singly,  but  taken  collectively  showing  an  aggregate  of 
energy  and  thrift  wholly  commendable.  Without  an  attempt  to 
separate  or  classify  beyond  designating  the  county  and  post  office 
where  located,  the  very  imperfect  list  is  appended. 


County  and  Post  Office. 


Industry  and  Owner  or  Manager. 


Alamance Haw  River 

Alamance Burlington 

Alamance Burlington 

Alamance Burlington 

Alamance Mebane 

Alexander....  Taylorsville 

Alexander Taylorsville 

Alexander Dealsville 

Alexander Dealsville 

Alexander Vashti 

Anson Wadesboro 

Anson Wadesboro 

Anson Goodman 

Anson Cedar  Hill 

Ashe Helton 

Ashe Creston , 

Ashe  Jefferson , 

Ashe Transou , 

Ashe Treetop 

Ashe Sussex 

Ashe Grassy  Creek.  . 

Ashe Grassy  Creek. . 

Bertie Aulander , 

Bertie Aulander 

Bertie Aulander 

Bertie Windsor 


Roller  Flour  Mills;  Granite  Mfg.  Co. 

Harness  Works;  C.  C.  Townsend  &  Co. 

Buggy  Works;  T.  J.  Fonville. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  S.  Ireland  &  Son. 

Furniture;   White  Brothers. 

Roller  Flour  Mill;  U.  S.  Alspaugh. 

Tannery;  J.  M.  Matherson. 

Tannery;  S.  M.  Deal  &  Sons. 

Saddle  &  Harness  Co;  J.  M.  Deal. 

Spokes  &  Handles;  Campbell  &  Williams. 

Wagon  and  Buggy  Factory;  D.  li.  Saylor  &  Son. 

Wagon  Works;  H.  D.  Pinkston. 

Tannery;  J.  C.  Goodman. 

Wagon  Works;  Springer  &  Green. 

Roller  Flour  Mill;  W.  E.  Perkins  &  Bro. 

Wagons  and  Buggies;  N.  J.  I,illard. 

Tannery;  Foster  Brothers. 

Tannerv;  S.  M.  Transou. 

Tannery;  G.  W.  Ray  &  Son. 

Wagons,  Carts,  &c.;  R.  L,.  Pierce. 

Tannery;  George  Collier. 

Furniture;  F.  H.  Hatch. 

Wagons  and  Buggies;  W.  D.  Hoggard. 

Creamery;  A.  J.  Demming  &  Son. 

Wagons  and  Buggies;  Louis  Donaldson  &  Co. 

Wagons  and  Buggies;  E-  S.  Dail. 


Miscellaneous  Industries. 


203 


County  and  Post  Ofnce. 


Industry  and  Owner  or  Manager. 


Bertie Kelford 

Bertie Merry  Hill 

Bertie Quitsna 

Bladen Bladenboro 

Bladen Council  Station. . 

Buncombe Asheville 

Buncombe Asheville 

Buncombe Biltmore 

Buncombe Biltmore 

Buncombe Candler 

Buncombe Weaverville 

Buncombe Weaverville 

Buncombe Grace 

Burke    Morganton 

Burke Morganton 

Burke Morganton 

Bnrke Morganton 

Cabarrus Mt.  Pleasant 

Cabarrus Concord 

Cabarrus Concord 

Caldwell Lenoir 

Caldwell Lenoir 

Caldwell Lenoir 

Caldwell Lenoir 

Caldwell Lenoir 

Caldwell . . .Lenoir 

Caldwell Cora 

Caldwell Granite 

Caswell Milton 

Caswell ..  . . , ..  .High  Towers.  . .  . 

Catawba Hickory 

Catawba Hickory 

Catawba Hickory 

Catawba Hickory 

Catawba Newton 

Catawba Newton 

Catawba Catawba 

Catawba Clairmont 

Chatham Lockville 

Chatham  Bynums 

Chatham Gulf 

Chatham Ore  Hill 

Cherokee .Murphy 

Cherokee Andrews 

Chowan Edenton 

Clay Hayesville 

Clay Hayesville 

Clay Hayesville 

Clay Hayesville 

Clay Hayesville 

Clay Hayesville 

Clay Hayesville 

Clay Hayesville 

Clay Tusquittee 

Clay Sweet  Water.  .  .  . 

Clay Irena 

Cleveland King's  Mountain. 

Cleveland Kings  Mountain. 

Cleveland King's  Mountain. 


Wagons  and  Buggies;  Parker  &  Norfleet. 

Wagons  and  Buggies;  Granby  Cooper. 

Spoke  &  Lumber  Co.;  O.  H.  Perry. 

Gem  Canning  Co.;  W.  R.  Davis. 

Turpentine  Tools;  J.  P.  Council. 

Ice;  Asheville  Ice  Co. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  H.  I.  Collins. 

Furniture;  G.  W.  Vanderbilt. 

Brick  and  Tiles;  G.  W.  Vanderbilt. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  J.  B.  Cole. 

Tannery;  W.  B.  Cheek. 

Pottery  Works;  M.  Shuford. 

Creamery;  W.  H.  Calvern. 

Roller  Flour  and  Corn  Mill;  W.  G.  Hagan. 

Wagons  and  Buggies;  J.  H.  Coffee  &  Bro. 

Tannery;  W.  F.  Camp,  Manager. 

Sash,  Blinds,  &c.;  Morganton  Mfg.  &Trad.  Co. 

Wagon  and  Buggy  Works;  Heintz  &  Lefler. 

Roller  Flour  Mill;  Lippard  &  Barrier 

Tannery;  G.  W.  Brown. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  Moore  &  Lutz. 

Land  and  Lumber  Co.;  Corporation. 

Blue  Ridge  Furnitnre  Co.;  E.  M.  Winsyead. 

Furniture;  Keitz  Bros. 

Blue  Ridge  Spring  &  Mattress  Co. ;  J.R.  Widby. 

Sash,  Doors  and  Blinds;  P.  L.  Baker. 

Fruit  Cannery;  A.  G.  Corpening. 

Roller  Mills;  Russell  &  Moore. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  W.  B.  Lewis. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  J.  L.  Warren. 

Piedmont  Wagon  Co.;  F.  J.  Long. 

Tanner}';  C.  Gaither. 

Tannery;  A.  S.  Abernathy. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  A.  Y.  Sigmon. 

Tannery;  M.J.  Rowe. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  Corporation. 

Tannery;  J.  J.  Smith. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  John  Setzer. 

Roller  Flour  Mills:  John  Barringer. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  C.  W.  Bynum  &  Bro. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  J.  M.  Mclver. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  O.  T.  Edwards. 

Cannery;  Alfred  Morgan. 

Cannery;  C.  M.  Watson. 

Lumber  Mills;  J.  W.  Branning. 

Sash,  Doors,  Blinds,  &c.;  C.  W.  Culberson. 

Tannery;  J.  J.  Scroggs. 

Tannery;  Snider  &  Hill. 

Tannery;  W.  E.  Angle. 

Tannery;  A.  B.  Thompson. 

Wagons,  Buggies,  &c.;  G.  T.  Cheek. 

Furniture;  R.  M.  Webb. 

Wagons  &  Buggies;  John  Palmer. 

Wagons  and  Carts;  W.  H.  Poteat. 

Wagons  and  Carts;  T.  R.  Griffin. 

Wool  Carding  and  Cleaning;  W.  S.  Ledford 

Tannerjs  A.  T.  Cansler  &  Rhyne. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  W.  O.  Wair  &  Son. 

Wagon  Works;  George  Cornwell. 


204 


North  Caroi^ina  and  its  Resources. 


County  and  Post  Office. 


Cleveland Shelby 

Cleveland Shelby 

Cleveland Shelby 

Cleveland Laundale..., 

Cleveland Sharon 

Cleveland Lattimore. .. 

Cleveland Bellwood  . . . 

Cleveland Bellwood  . . . 

Cleveland Polkville  . . . 

Columbus Hub 

Craven New  Bern  . . 

Craven    ...... .New  Bern..  . 

Craven    New  Bern... 

Craven New  Bern.. . 

Craven New  Bern.. . 

Craven New  Bern.. . 

Craven New  Bern... 

Craven New  Bern... 

Craven New  Bern... 

Craven New  Bern... 

Craven New  Bern... 

Craven New  Bern.  . 

Craven New  Bern  . . 

Craven New  Bern  .. 

Craven New  Bern  .  . 

Craven New  Bern  . . 

Craven New  Bern  .  . 

Craven New  Bern  . . 

Cumberland .  .  .Fayetteville 
Cumberland ,  .  .Fayetteville 


.Fayetteville  , 
.  .Fayetteville  . 
,  ..Fayetteville. 
,  ..Fayetteville. 
.  ..Fayetteville. 
...Fayetteville. 
.  .Fayetteville. 
...Fayetteville. 
.  ..Fayetteville. 
,  ..Fayetteville. 
Fayetteville. 


Cumberland . 
Cumberland  . 
Cumberland  . 
Cumberland  . 
Cumberland 
Cumberland  . 
Cumberland  . 
Cumberland . 
Cumberland. 
Cumberland . 
Cumberland  . 

Currituck Moyock 

Davidson Ivexington  . . . . 

Davidson Lexington  . . .  . 

Davidson Lexington  . . .  . 

Davidson Lexington  . . . . 

Davidson Lexington  . . .  . 

Davidson Lexington  . . . . 

Davidson Fairmount  . . . . 

Davidson Jackson  Hill  .  . 

Davidson Thomasville . .  . 

Davidson Thomasville . . . 

Davidson Thomasville... 

Davidson Thomasville... 

Davidson Tyro  Shops  . . . 

Davidson Linwood 

Davidson Denton 

Davie Mocksville  . . ... 

Davie Mocksville.  . . . 


Industry  and  Owner  or  Manager. 


Roller  Flour  Mills;  S.  Hoard. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  B.  Blanton. 

Wagons  and  Buggies;  J.  W.  Lineberger. 

Fruit  Cannery;  W.  C.  Lee. 

Fruit  Cannery;  J.  W.  Bowen. 

Implements,  &c.;  W.  T.  Calton  &  Co. 

Tannery;  P.  M.  Knatt. 

Tannery;  W.  Hoyle. 

Tannery;  T.  Elliott. 

Butters  Lumber  Co.;  H.  Butters. 

Ice;  B.  S.  Guion. 

Lumber;  Congdon  &  Co 

Lumber;  Stimson  &  Co. 

Lumber;  J.  B.  Clark. 

Lumber;   W.  B.  Ellis. 

Lumber;  J.  S.  Basnight. 

Lumber;  J.  L.  Moody. 

Lumber;  VV.  B.  Blades. 

Roller  Flour  Mill;  J.  A.  Meadows. 

Carriages  and  Buggies;  H.  Wingfield. 

Barrel  Factory;  Jones  Manufacturing  Co. 

Elm  City  Barrel  Factory,  B.  B.  Neal. 

Barrels,  Crates,  &c.;  George  Bishop. 

Castings,  &c.,  W.  J.  Boyd. 

Shuttle  Block  Works;  C.  L.  Ives. 

Lumber;  Broadus  &  Ives. 

Lumber;  S.  E.  Sullivan. 

Gaskill  Mattress  Co.;  F.  T.  Patterson. 

Castings,  &c.;  J.  N.  Emmett. 

Castings,  &c.;  Thomas  Ward. 

Furniture;  Newberry  &  Son. 

Shuttle  Blocks;  L.  A.  Weeden. 

Woodenware;  C.  S.  Taylor. 

Carolina  Machine  Mfg.  Co.;  Russell  Bros. 

Ice;  J.  B.  Starr. 

Oak  Barrels,  R.  M.  Nimocks. 

Turpentine  Tools;  Walter  Watson. 

Cedar  Works;  A.  A.  McKeithan,  Jr. 

Buggies  and  Wagons;  A.  A.  McKeithan,  Jr. 

Beut-wood  Works,  Coil  Hoops;  J.  P.  Denny. 

Cross  Creek  Mfg.  Co,  (Wood).  D.  Rose. 

Mattresses;  C.  R.  Van  De  Car. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  Grimes  Brothers. 

Wagons;  Rothrock  Brothers. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  M.  K.  Gray. 

Castings,  &c.;  C.  A.  Thompson. 

Sash,  Doors  and  Blinds;  Wm.  Frank. 

Furniture;  Plummer  &  Gray. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  Smithy  Spain. 

Tannery;  J.  M.  Badgett. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  T.  S.  F.  Lambeth. 

Coffins;  Petree  &  Riles, 

Chairs;  D.  S.  Westmoreland  &  Son. 

Furniture;  J.  H.  Lambeth. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  Owens  &  Co. 

Roller  Flour  Mill;  S.  Spain. 

Roller  Flour  Mill  &  Wool  Carding. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  Horn  Bros.  &  Johnson. 

Lumber;  Denny,  Owens  &  Co. 


MlSCELI^ANEOUS   INDUSTRIES. 


205 


County  aud  Post  Office. 


Davie  Mocksville 

Davie Farmington .  . 

Davie Advance 

Davie Cana 

Davie Cana 

Duplin Warsaw 

Duplin Faison 

Durham Durham 

Durham Durham 

Durham Durham 

Durham Durham 

Durham Durham 

Durham Durham 

Durham Durham 

Durham Durham 

Durham Durham 

Durham South  Lowell. . 

Durham Willardsville... 

Edgecombe Tarboro 

Bdgecombe Tarboro 

Edgecombe ....  Tarboro 

Edgecombe ....  Tarboro 

Edgecombe  .  . .  .Tarboro 

Edgecombe Tarboro 

Edgecombe  . . .  .Rocky  Mount. . 
Edgecombe  .  . .  .Rocky  Mount. . 

Forsyth Winston 

Forsyth Winston 

Forsyth Winston 

Forsyth Winston 

Forsyth Winston 

Forsyth Winston 

Forsyth Winston 

Forsyth Winston 

Forsyth Winston 

Forsyth Winston 

Forsyth Winston 

Forsyth Salem 

Forsyth Salem 

Forsyth Salem 

Forsyth Salem 

Forsyth Salem 

Forsyth Salem 

Forsyth Salem 

Forsyth Salem 

Forsyth Salem 

Forsyth Salem 

Forsyth Salem 

Forsyth Salem 

Forsyth Salem 

Forsyth Salem 

Forsyth Blakely 

Forsyth Bethania 

Forsyth Bethania 

Forsyth Bethania 

Forsyth Kernersville. .  . 

Forsyth Kernersville . . . 

Forsyth Kernersville..  . 

Forsyth Kernersville. . . 


Industry  and  Owner  or  Manager. 


Copper  Stills;  W.  A.  Weant. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  A.  W.  Ellis. 

Sash,  Doors  and  Blinds;  A.  C.  Wood. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  J.  W.  Etchison. 

Spokes  and  Handles;  Green  &  Son. 

Crate  Factory;  T.  B.  Pierce. 

Crate  Factory;  J.  W.  Mallard. 

Soap  Works;  Corporation. 

Roller  Covering  Co.;  Corporation. 

Carriages  and  Buggies;  Seeman  &  Son. 

Carriages  and  Buggies;  R.  T,  Howerton. 

Golden  Belt  Bag  Factory;  Corporation. 

Wooden  ware;  Corporation. 

Cannery;  J.  T.  Pinnix  &  Co. 

Wooden  ware;  Lee  &  Wheeler. 

Ice;  W.  W.  Whitted. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  Corporation. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  Cox  &  Christain. 

Carriages  and  Buggies;  M.  L.  Hussy. 

Carriages  and  Buggies;  J.  T.  Hyatt. 

Chewing  Gum;  J.  W.  Powell. 

Creamery;  C.  H.  King. 

Creamery;  J.  W.  Powell. 

Creamery;  L.  L.  Staton. 

Flag  Marsh  Creamery;  T.  H.  Battle. 

Dunbar  Creamery;  R.  H.  Battle. 

Tobacco  Casing  Machinery;  Corporation. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  D.  L.  Shore. 

Wagons;  S.  W.  Farrabee. 

Machinery;  Kesler  Bros. 

Wood  Workers;  Miller  Bros. 

Wagons  aud  Carts;  S.  J.  Nissen. 

Wagons  and  Carts;  Spaugh  Bros. 

Pumps;  C.  H.  Tise 

Buggies  and  Coaches;  J.  A.  White  &  Son. 

Tiles  and  Brick;  Winston  Brick  &  Tile  Co. 

Cigarette  Machines;  Cigarette  Machine  Co. 

Builders  of  Wood  Work;  Fogle  Bros. 

Fruit  and  Vegetable  Cannery;  C.  F.  Jenkins. 

Broom  Factory;  C.  F.  Jenkins. 

Metal  Cornice  W'ks;Senseman  &Brickenstein, 

Machinery;  C.  A.  Hege  &  Co. 

Carriages  and  Buggies;  F.  C.  Meinung. 

Chairs  and  Tables;  Holland  &  Weisner. 

Wagons  and  Carts;  C.  F.  Nissen  &  Co. 

Wagons  and  Carts;  G.  E.  Nissen  &  Co. 

Tobacco  Boxes;  Spaugh  Bros. 

Woodworking  Machinery;  J.  A.  Vance. 

Pipes,  Earthenware  &c.;  D.  T.  Crouse. 

Coffins  and  Furniture;  F.  C.  Vogler  &  Son. 

Roller  Flour  Mill;  F.  &  H.  Fries. 

Roller  Flour  Mill's;  Eugene  A.  Conrad. 

Wagon  Works;  W.  A.  Stoltz. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  J.  F.  Miller. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  E.  T.  Kapp. 

Wood  Manufacturing  Co.;  Lewis  &  Huff. 

Cannery;  Edwards  &  Stone. 

Wagons  and  Buggies;  Peadry&  Phillips. 

Tannery;  I.  Herner. 


2o6 


North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


County  and  Post  Office. 


Forsyth Kernersville 

Forsyth Kernersville.  .  . . 

Forsyth Kernersville 

Forsyth Walkertown 

Franklin Laurel 

Franklin Laurel 

vGaston Stanley  Creek.  . , 

Gaston Mt.  Holly 

Gaston .Belmont 

Gates Gatesville 

Gates Adair 

Gates Sunbury 

Guilford Pomona 

Guilford Gibsonviile 

Guilford Gibsonviile 

Guilford Gibsonviile 

Guilford Gibsonviile 

Guilford Brown's  Summit, 

Guilford Liberty  Store... . 

Guilford Colfax 

Guilford High  Point 

Guilford High  Point 

Guilford High  Point 

Guilford High  Point 

Guilford High  Point 

Guilford High  Point 

Guilford High  Point 

Guilford High  Point 

Guilford High  Point 

Guilford High  Point 

Guilford High  Point 

Guilford High  Point 

Guilford High  Point 

Guilford High  Point 

Guilford Greensboro 

Guilford Greensboro 

Guilford Greensboro 

Guilford Greensboro 

Guilford Greensboro 

Guilford Greensboro 

Guilford Greensboro 

Guilford Greensboro 

Guilford Greensboro 

Guilford Greensboro 

Guilford Greensboro 

Guilford Greensboro 

Guilford Greensboro 

Guilford Greensboro 

Guilford Greensboro 

Guilford Greensboro 

Guilford Greensboro 

Guilford Greensboro 

Guilford Greensboro 

Guilford Greensboro  .  . . .  , 

Guilford Greensboro  .  .  . . . 

Guilford Greensboro 

Guilford Greensboro 

Guilford Greensboro 

Guilford Greensboro 


Industry  and  Owner  or  Manager. 


Roller  Flour  Mills;  Wm.  Helper. 

Roller  Flour  Mill;  H.  E.  Harman. 

Wagons  and  Buggies;  B.  Y.  Clark. 

Tobacco  Boxes,  &c. ;  Leight  Bros. 

Creamery;  J.  F.Jones. 

Wagons  and  Buggies;  J.  F.  Jones. 

Cannery;  R.  M.  Johnson. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  R.  M.  Jenkins. 

Cannery;  Hall  &  Stone. 

Carriages  and  Buggies;  W.  H.  Standin. 

Carriages  and  Buggies;  J.  H.  Brooks. 

Wagons,  Carts,  &c.;  Pierce  &  Speight. 

Sewer  Pipes,  Tilings,  &c.;  J.  Van  Lindley. 

Sash,  Doors  and  Blinds;  W.  C.  Michael. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  O.  L.  Huff. 

Cannery;  J.  V.  Wagoner. 

Tannery;  Thomas  Overman. 

Doggett  Roller  Flour  Mill;  A.  Hines. 

Tannery;  J.J.  Busick. 

Cannery;  Cude  Brothers 

Sash,  Doors  and  Blinds;  W.  C.  Michael. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  Teague  &  Horney. 

Sash,  Doors,  BHnds,  &c.;  R.  F.  Dalton. 

Furniture;  T.  F.  Wrenn. 

Furniture;  J.  H.  Willis. 

Furniture;  W.  H.  Ragan. 

Furniture;  J.  H.  Tate. 

Castings,  &c.;  O.  U.  Richardson. 

Chair  Factory;  J.  B.  Best. 

Mattresses  and  Lounges;  J.  C.  Callum. 

Spokes  and  Handles;  J.  Elwood  Cox. 

Furniture;  J.  P.  Redding. 

Cannery  (Fruit  and  Veget'ble);  J.B.Best  &Bro. 

Cotton  and  Fruit  Baskets;  W.  H.  Snow. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  North  &  Watson. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  T.  J.  Willis. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  Causey  &  Lewis. 

Furniture;  Greensboro  Furniture  Company. 

Wagons,  Carts,  &c.;  C.  E.  Landreth. 

Hogsheads,  Boxes,  &c.;  R,  W.  Brooks. 

Mattresses,  Sofas,  &c.;  J.  C  Callum. 

Stoves,  Agric'lt'ral  Imp.,&c.;  G.Sergeant  &Co. 

Steel  and  Iron  Furnace;  J.  M.  Worth. 

Castings,  Mach'y,  &c.;  G.  T.  Glasscock  &  Son 

Ice;  Wm.  E.  Worth. 

Ice;  L.  S.  Barnes. 

Eagle  Foundry  and  Mch.  Wks.;  W.  J.  Teague. 

Sash,Doors,Blinds  &c;W.  D.  Mendenhall  &  Co. 

Southern  Varnish  &  Paint  Co.;  Corporation. 

Sash, Doors,Blinds,&c.;  J. R.  Mendenhall  &  Co. 

Spokes  and  Wood  Works;  Scott  &  Eldridge. 

Brick  and  Tile;  Greensboro  B.  &  T.  Co. 

Spokes  and  Handles;  B.  H.  Merrimon. 

Cannery;  Gilmer  &  Smith. 

Cannery;  G.  L.  Anthony. 

Cannery;  John  Tucker. 

Carriages,  Buggies,  &c.;  Lewis  &  Huff. 

Cultivators;  Gilmer,  Trexler  &  Phipps. 

Sash,  Doors,  Blinds,  &c.;  Stock  Company. 


Miscellaneous  Industries. 


207 


County  and  Post  Office. 


Guilford Colfax    

Guilford Guilford  College 

Guilford Guilford  College 

Halifax Hobgood 

Halifax Scotland  Neck . . 

Halifax Scotland  Neck. . . 

Halifax Wei  don 

Halifax Tillery. 

Harnett Dunn 

Harnett Dunn 

Harnett Dunn 

Haywood Waynesville 

Haywood Wajmesville 

Haywood Waynesville 

Haywood Waynesville 

Haywood Waynesville 

Haywood Waynesville 

Haywood Waynesville 

Haywood Clyde 

Henderson Zirconia 

Henderson Dana 

Henderson Flat  Rock 

Henderson Hendersonville. . 

Henderson Hendersonville. . 

Henderson Hendersonville. . 

Henderson Horse  Shoe 

Hertford Murf reesboro . . . . 

Hertford Winton 

Hertford Winton 

Hertford Winton 

Hertford Union 

Hertford Tunis 

Hertford Tunis 

Hyde Fairfield 

Hyde Swan  Quarter . .  . 

Hyde Englehard 

Iredell Statesville 

Iredell Statesville 

Iredell Statesville 

Iredell Statesville 

Iredell Statesville 

Iredell Statesville 

Iredell Statesville 

Iredell , .    .  Mooresville 

Iredell. 0 Mooresville 

Iredell Mooresville 

Iredell Cool  Springs .... 

Iredell FJagle  Mills 

Iredell  Scotts  X  Roads . . 

Iredell Scotts 

Iredell Troutman's 

Lenoir Kinston 

Ivcnoir Kinston 

Lincoln Lincolnton 

Lincoln Lincolnton  .  .. 

Lincoln Lincolnton  .  . . 

Lincoln Lincolnton  .  .. 

Lincoln Lincolnton  .  . . 

Lincoln Lincolnton  .  .. 


Industry  and  Owner  or  Manager. 


Cannery;  Cude  Brothers. 

Leather  and  Shoe  Co.;  S.  W.  H.  Smith. 

Harness  and  Leather;  George  Edgerton. 

Cannery;  E.  P.  Hyman. 

Southern  Sweet  Gum  Co.;  W.  H.  White  &  Co. 

Buggies,  &c.;  J.  E.  Woodward. 

Roanoke  Corn  Mill;  Navigation  &  Water-P-Co. 

North  Carolina  Lumber  Co.;  Mr.  Turner. 

Plows,  Castings,  &c.;  J.  A.  McKoy  Co. 

Wagons,  Carts,  &c.;  W.  D.  Thornton. 

Southern  Paige  Mfg.  Co.;  A.  R.  Wilson, 

Wagons  and  Carts;  McKeehan  &  Co. 

Spokes,  Handles,  Pins,  &c.;  B.  F.  Smathers. 

Barrels,  Pumps,  Staves,  &c.;  W.  H.  Cole. 

House  Furnishing  Material;  C.  E.  Satterwait. 

Insulator  Pin  Factory;  Hellams  &  Ellis. 

Cheese  and  Butter;  A.  Howell. 

Tannery;  W.  A.  Herrin. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  Morgan  &  Killiam, 

Handles,  Spokes,  Rims,  &c. ;  W.  T.  Davis  &  Co. 

Blue  Ridge  Canning  Co.,  P.  T.  Ward  &  Co. 

Carolina  Canning  Co.;  P.  W.  &  R.  R.  Hart. 

Sash,  Doors,  Blinds,  &c.;  T.  W.  Bennett  &  Co. 

Tannery;  Taylor  &  Williams. 

Cannery; J.  P.  Shepard. 

Cannery;  W.  B.  Ledbetter. 

Agricultural  Machinery;  F.  Furguson. 

Buggies,  Wagons,  &c.;  H.  B.  Vann. 

Buggies,  Wagons,  &c.;  C.  Banks  &  Co. 

Lumber;  W.  P.  Taylor. 

Buggies,  Wagons,  &c.;  H  F.  Duke. 

Lumber;  Chowan  Lumber  Co. 

Lumber;  J.  A.  Isham. 

Buggies  and  Carts;  W.  A.  Williams. 

Buggies  and  Carts;  George  Hodges. 

Furniture;  G.  T.  Burrus. 

Roller  Flour  Mill;  Stimson  &  Co. 

Buckets,  Boxes,  Tubs,  &c.;  C.  L.  Wagoner. 

Tannery;  S.  A.  Sharp. 

Tannery;  J.  T.  Allison. 

Creamery;  Dr.  J.  J.  Mott. 

Spokes,  Handles,  &c.;  Stock  Company. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  Mott  &  Sullivan. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  Templeton,  Williams  &  Co. 

Tannery;  W.  C.  Patterson. 

Shoes  and  Harness;  W.  A.  Wilson. 

Garden  Valley  Roller  Mill;  Turner  &  Holeman 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  J.  E.  Stimpson. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  Morrison  &  Co. 

Roller  Flour  Mill;  Henry  Gilbert. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  J.  S.  Troutman. 

Buggies;  Ellis  &  Randolph. 

Buggies,  Carriages,  &c.;  C.  Randolph. 

Pioneer  Roller  Flour  Mills;  A.  Costner. 

Indian  Creek  Roller  Mills;  Rudisil  &  Son. 

Castings  and  Implements;  F.  H.  Turner. 

Fruit  and  Vegetable  Cannery;  J.  T.  McLain. 

Sash,  Doors  and  Blinds;  W.  W.  Motz. 

Furniture;  William  Motz. 


2o8 


North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


County  and  Post  Office. 


Lincoln..., 
I/incoln..., 
Lincoln..., 
Lincoln..., 
Macon.    ., 

Martin 

Martin 

Martin    

Martin 

Martin 

Martin 

Madison 

Madison... . . .. 

Madison 

McDowell . 

McDowell  . . .  . 

McDowell.  . .   . 

McDowell.  . . . 

Mecklenburg.. 

Mecklenburg.. 

Mecklenburg.. 

Mecklenburg.. 

Mecklenburg.. 

Mecklenburg.. 

Mecklenburg.. 

Mecklenburg. . 

Mecklenburg.. 

Mecklenburg.. 

Mecklenburg.. 

Mecklenburg.. 

Mecklenburg.. 

Mecklenburg.. 

Mecklenburg.. 

Mecklenburg.. 

Mecklenburg.. 

Mecklenburg.. 

Mecklenburg.. 

Mecklenburg.. 

Mecklenburg.. 

Mecklenburg.. 

Mecklenburg.. 

Mecklenburg.. 

Mecklenburg.. 

Mecklenburg.. 

Mecklenburg.. 

Mecklenburg. 

Mecklenburg.., 

Mecklenburg.. 

Mecklenburg.. 

Mecklenburg.. 

Mecklenburg.. 

Mecklenburg.. 

Mecklenburg, 

Mecklenburg 

Montgomery. 

Montgomery. 

Montgomery. 

Montgomery. 


.Lincolnton  .  . 

.  Lincolnton  .  . 

.Lincolnton  .  . 

.Lincolnton . .  . 

.Ellijay 

.Williamston. . 

.Everetts 

Robersonville. 

Parmele 

Hamilton  .... 
Hamilton  .... 

.  Marshall 

.Marshall 

•  Halewood  . .  . 
.Marion 

..Marion 

.Marion 

.Marion 

.Charlotte 

.Charlotte 

.  Charlotte 

.Charlotte 

.Charlotte 

.Charlotte 

.Charlotte  . .  . . 

.Charlotte 

.Charlotte 

.  Charlotte 

.Charlotte 

.Charlotte 

.  Charlotte 

.Charlotte 

.Charlotte 

.Charlotte 

..Charlotte 

..Charlotte 

..Charlotte  . .  . . 

..Charlotte 

..Charlotte  . .  . . 

..Charlotte  . .  . . 

Charlotte 

...Charlotte 

...Charlotte 

...Charlotte 

...Charlotte 

...Charlotte  . . . . 

...Charlotte  . . . . 

...Charlotte 

...Charlotte 

...Hopewell  . . . . 

...Hopwell 

...Bristow 

...Croft 

...Caldwell 

..Troy 

...Troy 

...Mt.  Gilead.., 

...Mt.  Gilead.., 


Industry  and  Owner  or  Manager. 


Castings;  Carry  &Babbington. 

Mica  Mill;  Samuel  Lander. 

Furniture;  Edward  James. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  T.  J.  Ransom  &  Son. 

Furniture;  John  Ammons. 

Furniture;  Martin  &  Biggs. 

Lumber;  Martin  Lumber  Co. 

Buggies;  Robersonville  Buggy  Works. 

Parmele-Eccleston  Lumber  Co. 

Barrel  and  Hoop  Factory;  J.  P.  Boyce. 

Carriages,  &c.;  Slade  &  Jones. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  W.  B.  Rumsey. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  J.  W.  Roberts. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  M.  Bruce. 

Tannery;  Blanton  &  Co. 

Furniture;  D.  R.  Roper. 

Tannery;  Dysart  &  Co. 

Locust  Pins;  J.  N.  McNaughton. 

Machine  Works;  Liddell  &  Co, 

Tompkins  Machine  Shop;  D.  A.  Tompkins  Co, 

Mecklenburg  Iron  Works;  John  Wilkes. 

Batting  Works;  F.  Oliver,  President. 

Moffitt  Machine  Shops;  J.  R.  Pharr. 

Machine  Shops;  Park  Manufacturing  Co. 

Furniture;  J.  A.  Elliott. 

Broom  Company;  J.  Roessler,  Agent. 

Card  Clothing;  James  Leslie. 

Loom  Reeds  and  Harness;  Lazelle,  R.  &  H.  Co, 

Leather  Belting;  J.  P.  Wilson. 

Bagging  and  Ties;  Margolins  &  Co. 

Flour  Mills;  Julian  &  Thompson. 

Iron  Fronts  and  Furnaces;  I.  N.  McCousland. 

Sash,  Doors  and  Blinds;  R.  E.  Cochrane. 

Mantels  &  Interior  Fin.;  Asbury  &  Finger. 

Roller  Covering  Works;  D.  A.  Tompkins. 

Mantels  &  Interior  Finishing;  F.  W.  Ahrens. 

Cotton  Mill  Machinery;  D.  A.  Tompkins  Co. 

Cheese  and  Butter;  J.  M.  Davis. 

Candies;  J.  Fasnach. 

Spokes,  Handles  and  Rims;  J.  H.  Carson. 

Candies;  J.  W.  Lewis. 

Ice;  A.  J.  Hagood. 

Saddles  and  Harness;  Shaw-Howell  Harn.  Co. 

Wagons  and  Buggies;  W.  S.  Wearn. 

Brick  and  Drain  Pipes;  W.  H.  Houser. 

Mattresses;  E.  M.  Andrews. 

Blacksmith's  Bellows;  J.  H.  Weddington. 

Star  Broom  Factory;  A  Brown. 

Harness  and  Saddles;  W.  E.  Shaw. 

Fruit  Cannery;  D.  I.  Sample. 

Fruit  Cannery:  J.  S.  McElory. 

Fruit  Cannery;  W.  M.  Kerns. 

Fruit  Cannery;  W.  D.  Alexander. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  J.  V.  Bost. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  J.  L.  Hall. 

Sash,  Doors  and  Blinds;  B.  C.  Beckwith. 

Tannery;  F.  McAuley. 

Coffins  and  Furniture;  J.  A.  Lisk. 


Miscellaneous  Industries. 


209 


County  and  Post  OfiBce. 


Montgomery.  ,..Mt.   Gilead 

Montgomery.  .  .Mt.  Gilead 

Montgomery. .  .Eldorado 

Montgomery.  ...Eldorado 

Montgomery Star 

Moore Southern  Pines. . 

Moore Carthage 

Moore Carthage 

Moore West  End 

Moore  Sanford 

Moore Sanford 

Moore Sanford 

Moore Sanford 

Moore Aberdeen 

Moore Aberdeen 

Moore Aberdeen 

Moore Aberdeen 

Moore Aberdeen 

Moore Jonesboro 

Moore Jonesboro 

Nash Battleboro 

Nash Rocky  Mount . . .  . 

New  Hanover. ..Wilmington 

Wilmington 

Wilmington 

Wilmington 

Wilmington 

Wilmington 

Wilmington 

Wilmington 

Wilmington 

Wilmington 

Wilmington 

Wilmington 

Wilmington 

Wilmington 


Industry  and  Owner  or  Manager. 


New  Hanover, 
New  Hanover 
New  Hanover, 
New  Hanover, 
New  Hanover. 
New  Hanover. 
New  Hanover. 
New  Hanover, 
New  Hanover. 
New  Hanover. 
New  Hanover. 
New  Hanover. 
New  Hanover. 
New  Hanover.. .Wilmington 

New  Hanover.  .Wilmington 

New  Hanover.. .  Wilmington 

New  Hanover.  .Wilmington 

New  Hanover.  .Wilmington 

New  Hanover.  .Wilmington 

New  Hanover.  .Wilmington 

Northampton  . .  Woodland 

Northampton  .  .Jackson 

Northampton..  .Jackson 

Orange Hillsboro 

Orange Hillsboro 

Onslow Jacksonville 

Onslow Jacksonville  .... 

Pamlico Bayboro 

Pamlico vStonewall  ....... 

Pamlico Oriental 

Pasquotank Elizabeth  City. . . 

Pasquotank.  . .  .Elizabeth  City. . . 

Pasquotank Elizabeth  City. . . 

Pasquotank Elizabeth  City. . . 

Pasquotank Elizabeth  City. . . 

Pasquotank Elizabeth  City. . . 

14 


Wagons  and  Buggies;  Mr.  Blalock. 

Steam  Flour  Mill;  F.  McAuley. 

Tannery;  N.  M.  Thayer. 

Shoe  and  Harness  Co.;  N.  M.  Thayer. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  B.  L.  Allen. 

Crates  and  Baskets;  Fred  Chandler. 

Carriages  and  Buggies;  Tyson  &  Jones. 

Lumber;  Walter  Mills. 

House  Builders'  Supplies;  W.  E.  Lumber  Co. 

Sash,  Doors  and  Blinds;  J.  W.  Scott. 

Furniture;  Scott  &  Lemon. 

Casting  and  Machines;  M.  M.  Moffitt. 

Carriages  and  Buggies;  O.  M.  Kelly. 

Lumber;  R.  N.  &  H.  A.Page. 

Lumber;  Adams  &  Co. 

Lumber;  J.  Rollins. 

Wagons,  Carts,  &c.;  Aberdeen  Mfg.  Co. 

Castings  and  Implements;  Aberdeen  Foundry. 

Agr.  Implements  &  Machinery;  Kelly  Bros. 

Pottery,  Tiling,  Drain  Pipes;   T.  N.  Campbell. 

Creamery;  T.  B.  Braswell. 

Creamery;  R.  H.  Ricks. 

Broom  Factory;  J.  P.  &  L.  Taylor. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  Boney  &  Harper. 

Engines, Boilers  &  Agr.Machinery;  H.  A.  Burr. 

Creosote;  Carolina  Creosote  Company. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  W.  P.  Oldham. 

Ice;  Wni.  E.  Worth  &  Co. 

Harness;  Fennell  Harness  Co. 

Sash,  Doors  and  Blinds;  Fore  &  Foster. 

Castings  and  Machinery;  Burr  &  Bailey. 

Wood  Alcohol,  &c.;  Imperial  Pine  Product  Co. 

Carriage  and  Wheel  Works;  W.  P.  Boney  &  Co. 

National  Rice  Milling  Co.;  Norward  Giles. 

Oyster  Canning  Co.;  T.  D.  Meares 

Carriages  and  Buggies;  P.  H.  Hayden. 

Carriages  and  Buggies;  W.  T.  Ketchum. 

Lumber;  Pike  Lumber  Co. 

Engines,  Boilers,  Castings;  C.  M.  Whitlock. 

Lumber;  Hilton  Lumber  Co. 

Lumber;  Peregoy  Lumber  Co. 

Lumber;  Kidders'  Lumber  Co. 

Lumber;  William  Chadbourn  &.  Co. 

Carriages  and  Buggies;  Whitty  &  Co. 

Wagons,  Carts  and  Buggies;  Wright  Bros. 

Harness  Factory;  W.  T.  Picard. 

Alliance  Shoe  Factory;  Farmers'  Alliance. 

Alliance  Tannery;  Farmer'  Alliance. 

Wagons,  Buggies,  &c.;  J.  G.  Gardner. 

Lumber;  Parmele-Eccleston  Lumber  Co. 

Truck  Barrels  and  Crates;  Hooker  &.  Sawyer. 

Lumber;  Pamlico  Lumber  Co. 

Lumber;  Oriental  Lumber  Co. 

Castings  and  Implements;  T.  M.  Lilliston. 

Ice;  W.  E.  Dunsion. 

Lumber,  Mouldings,  &c.;  J.  B.  Blades. 

Lumber,  Mouldings,  &c.;  John  Cramer. 

Lumber,  Mouldings,  &c.;  Wm.  Straughn. 

Lumber,  Mouldings,  &c.;  Foreman  &  Co. 


2IO 


North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


Conuty  and  Post  Office. 

Industry  and  Owner  or  i^anager  . 

Pasquotank.  . 

. .  Elizabeth  City . . . 

Lumber,  Mouldings,  &c.;  W.  W.  Griffin  &  Co. 

Pasquotank... 

..Elizabeth  City... 

Nets  and  Twine;  F.  S.  Brown. 

Pasquotank... 

.  .Elizabeth  City... 

Sash,  Doors  and  Blinds;  Thos.  Commander. 

Pasquotank... 

. .  Elizabeth  City . . . 

Carriages,  Buggies  &c.;  J.  F.  Saunders. 

Pasquotank... 

..Elizabeth  City... 

Roller  Flour  NLiWs;  White  &  Roper. 

Pasquotank... 

..Elizabeth  City.  .. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  William  Parlin. 

Pasquotank... 

..Elizabeth  City... 

Sash,  Doors  &  Blinds;  C.  E.  Kramer. 

Perquimans. . 

..Hertford 

Carriages  and  Buggies;  Toms  &  McMullin. 

Perquimans.  . 

..Hertford 

Carriages  and  Buggies;  W.  H.  Ward. 

Perquimans.  . 

..Hertford 

Lumber;  Fleetwood  &  Jackson. 

Perquimans.  . 

..Hertfold 

Lumber;  Major  &  Looniis. 

Perquimans. . 

.  .Wiufall 

Box  Lumber;  Alonzo  Winslow. 

Perquimans.  . 

.  .Belvidere 

Tannery;  M.  White. 

Person 

. .  Roxboro 

Wagons  and  Buggies;  R.  E.  Daniel  &  Son. 

Person 

.  .  Roxboro 

Wagons  and  Buggies;  Cheek  &  Co. 
Roller  Flour  Mills;  I.  C.  Pass. 

Person 

. .  Roxboro 

Person 

. .  Roxboro 

Buggy  Factory;  C.  C.  &  J.  S.  Critchner. 
Lake  Roller  Mills;  J.  A.  Long  &  Co. 

Person 

..Roxboro 

Person 

. .  Roxboro 

Buggies,  Wheels,  Rims,&c.;  O.  Bullard. 
Loche  Lilly  Roller  Mills;  Winstead  &  Long. 

Person 

.  .Chublake , 

Randolph 

.  .Coleridge 

Enterprise  Roller  Mills;  J.  A.  Cole. 

Randolph 

.  .Ramsuer 

Alberta  Chair  Works;  A.  W.  E.  Copel. 

Randolph..  . . 
Randolph 

..Ashboro 

Wood  Finishing  &  Lumber;  C.  C.  McAlister. 
Roller  Flour  Mill;  R.  R.  Ross. 

.  .Ashboro 

Randolph. ..'. 

.Ashboro 

Wood  and  Iron  Works;  C.  J.  Cox. 

Randolph 

. .Ashboro 

Furniure;  P.  H.  Morris. 

Randolph. . . . 

. .Ashboro 

Sash,  Doors  and  Blinds;  Guilford  Mfg.  Co. 

Randolph. .  .  . 

. .Ashboro  

Wagons;  S.  W.  Kivett. 

Randolph.  .  .  . 

.  .Archdale 

Archdale  Roller  Mills. 

Randolph.  . . . 

. .  Worthville 

Fruit  Cannery;  H.  M.  Worth. 

Richmond. ... 

.  .Laurinburg 

Fruit  &  Vegetable  Cannery;  D.  Stewart. 

Richmond. ... 

.  .Rockingham. .  .  . 

Fruit  &  Vegetable  Cannery  (i);  A  Stewart. 

Richmond.  ... 

. .  Rockingham  .... 

Fruit  &  Vegetable  Cannery  (2);  A.  Stewart. 

Rockingham. 

.  .Pelham 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  Candler  &  Bethel. 

Rockingham . 

.  .L,eaksville 

Carriages  and  Buggies;  J.  W.  Harper. 

Rockingham. 

.  .Leaksville 

Carriages  and  Buggies;  Hampton  &  Co. 

P^ockingham . 
Rowan 

.  .Berry   

Fruit  and  Vegetable  Cannery,  Settle  Bros. 
Creamery;  E.  B.  C  Hambly. 

.  .Rockwell 

Rowan 

..Mill  Bridge 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  Harrison  &  Page. 

Rowan 

..Mill  Bridge 

Creamery;  J.  M.  Harrison. 

Rowan 

.  .Enochville 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  C.  J.  Deal. 

Rowan 

.  .Cleveland 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  P.  M.  Brown. 

Rowan 

..China    Grove 

Roller  Flour  Mill;  M.  M.  Ketchie. 

Rowan 

.  .Salisbury  ......  . 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  J.  S.  McCubbins. 

Rowan 

.  .Salisbury 

North  Side  Flour  Mills;  D.  R.  Julian. 

Rowan 

.  .Garfield! 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  Phillips  &  Pool. 

Rowan 

.South  River 

Roller  Flour  Mill;  J.  Lindsay,  Manager. 

Rutherford  .  . 

. .  Avr 

Tannery;  Frank  Reynolds. 
Roller  Flour  Mill;  Beam  &  Co. 

Rutherford. . 

.  .Ellenboro 

Rutherford  . . 

.  .Rutherfordton.. . 

Sash,  Doors  and  Blinds;  L.  E.  Powers. 

Rutherford. . 

. . Rutherfordton. . . 

Rims,  Spokes  and  Handles;  J.  S.  Rowland. 

Rutherford  . . 

.  .Rutherfordton..  . 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  J.  S.  Rowland. 

Rutherford. . 

.Bostic 

Carders  and  Spinners;  Bostic  Card.  &  Wool  Co. 
Carriages  and  Buggies;  Lewis  &  Co. 

Sampson 

.  .Autryville 

Sampson 

Sampson 

.  .Clinton 

Crates  and  Butter  Dishes,  &c.;  A.  F.  Johnson. 

.  .Clinton 

Furniture;  David  Clifton. 

Sampson. .  . . 
Sampson . .  , . 

.  .Clinton 

Cannery;  George  Smith. 
Baskets,  Crates,  &c.;  T.  P.  Pierce. 

.  .Warsaw 

Miscellaneous  Industries. 


211 


County  and  Post  Office, 


Stanly Whittey 

Stanly Big  Lick 

Stanly Norwood 

Stanly Albemarle 

Stanly Millingport 

Stanly Richfield 

Stanly New  L,ondou. . . . 

Stokes Dalton 

Stokes Walnut  Cove . . . . 

Stokes Walnut  Cove. . . . 

Stokes Walnut  Cove 

Stokes Walnut  Cove. . . . 

Stokes Walnut  Cove.  . . . 

Stokes Pine  Hall 

Stokes Pine  Hall 

Stokes Dillard 

Stokes Gerinanton 

Stokes Sandy  Ridge 

Stokes Sandy  Ridge.... 

Stokes Sandy  Ridge  ... 

Stokes Sandy  Ridge. . . . 

Stokes ,... Sandy  Ridge.... 

Stokes Francisco 

Stokes Slate, 

Stokes Danbury 

Stokes Danbury 

Stokes Danbury 

Surry Elkin   

Surry Elkin 

Surry Elkin 

Surry Elkin 

Surry Elkin 

Surry Elkin    

Surry Elkin 

Surry Boonville 

Surry Pilot  Mountain. . 

Surry Mt.  Airy 

Surry Mt.  Airy 

Surry Mt.  Airy 

Surry Mt.  Airy 

Surry Mt.  Airy 

Swain Bryson  City  

Swain Bryson  City 

Swain Bryson  City 

Swain Bryson  City 

Swain Bryson  City 

Swain Swain   

Tyrrell Columbia 

Union Waxliaw 

Union Alton 

Union Love's  Level. . . . 

Union Monroe 

Union Monroe 

Union Monroe 

Union Ruben 

Vance Henderson 

Vance Henderson 

Vance Henderson 

Vance Henderson 


Industry  and  Owner  or  Manager. 


Roller  Flour  Mills;  J.  S.  Efird. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  D.  E.  Efird  &  Co. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  M.  E.  Blalock. 

Wagons  and  Buggies;  Albemarle  W.  &  B.  Co. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  E.  Eudy. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  Ritchey  Bros. 

Sash,  Doors  and  Blinds;  James  Beatty. 

Wagon  Works;  A.  H.  Hargrove. 

Sash,  Doors  and  Blinds;  Walnut  Cove  Lb'r  Co. 

Foundry;  Miller  &  Cook. 

Wagons,  Carts,  &c.;  Clodfelter  &  Lancaster. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  J.J.  Blockham. 

Plows,  Castings,  &c.;  Miller  Iron  Co. 

Sash,  Doors  and  Blinds;  Capell  &  Binford. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  L.  W.  Andrews. 

Tobacco  Boxes;  K.  W.  Mitchell. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  H.  A.  Morris. 

Tobacco  Boxes;  S.  Amos. 

Tobacco  Boxes;  J.  E.  Shelton. 

Wagon  Works;  John  Hutcherson. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  J.  E.  Shelton. 

Tannery;  J.  C.  Andrews. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  R.  W.  George. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  John  Slate  &  Sons. 

Wagons;  H.  M.  Joyce. 

Tannery;  J.  F.  Pepper. 

Roller  Flour  Mill;  D.  W.  Dodd. 

Lumber;  Wm.  Poindexter. 

Lumber;  L.  H.  Carter. 

Castings,  Plows  and  Potware;  D.  Brookshire. 

Shoes;  Elkin  Manufacturing  Co. 

Wagons  and  Carts;  Hubbard  &  Roth. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  Elkin  Manufacturing  Co. 

Furniture;  Green  &  Gray. 

Buggies  and  Carr'g's;  M.  S.Woodhouse  &  Bro. 

Wagons  and  Carts;  J.  S.  &  S.  E.  Marshall. 

Buggies,  Carriages,  &c.;  L.  H.  Huff. 

Furniture;  Mt.  Airy  Furniture  Co. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  A.  E.  Sides. 

Sash,  Doors  and  Blinds;  Galloway  &  Belton. 

Sash,  Doors  and  Blinds;  Marshall  Mill  Co. 

Insulator  Pins,  Staves,  &c.;  B.  B.  Lake. 

Sash,  Doors,  Blinds,  &c. ;  Coffin  &  McDonald. 

Tannery;  John  Sutton. 

Insulator  Pins,  &c.;  A.  B.  Allison  &  Co. 

Insulator  Factory;  E.  Everett. 

Tannery;  H.  McHan. 

Wagons  and  Carts;  D.  A.  Sampler. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  J.  D.  Adams. 

Jugs  and  Pottery;  Thomas  Gay. 

Canner}^;  T.  L.  Love. 

Cannery;  Stock  Company. 

Sash,  Doors  and  Blinds;  J.  Shute  &Sons. 

Fruit  and  Vegetable  Cannery;  Stock  Co. 

Barrels,  Crates,  &c.;  James  Moore. 

Wagons,  Buggies,  &c.;  Crow  &  Manton. 

Cannery;  Henderson  Canning  Co. 

Sash,  Doors  and  Blinds;  Robert  Baum. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  Silas  Powell. 


212 


North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


County  andPost  Office, 


Vance Henderson 

Vance Henderson 

Washington. . .  .Plymouth 

Washington. . .  .Roper 

Washington. . . .  Scupper nong. . . 

Washington. . . .  Creswell 

Wake Raleigh 

Wake Raleigh 

Wake Raleigh .. 

Wake Raleigh 

Wake Raleigh 

Wake Raleigh 

Wake Raleigh 

Wake Raleigh 

Wake Raleigh 

Wake Raleigh 

Wake Raleigh 

Wake Raleigh 

Wake Raleigh 

Wake Raleigh 

Wake Raleigh 

Wake Raleigh 

Wake Raleigh 

Wake Raleigh 

Wake Raleigh 

Wake Raleigh 

Wake Raleigh 

Wake Raleigh 

Wake Raleigh 

Wake Wake  Forest. . . . 

Wake Wake  Forest. .  . . 

Wake Wake  Forest. . . . 

Wake Cary 

Wake Rogers'  Store. . . 

Warren Warrenton 

Warren Warrenton 

Warren Warrenton 

Warren Warrenton 

Watauga Boon 

Watauga Boon 

Watauga Watauga  Falls. . 

Watauga Vilas , 

Watauga Most 

Wayne Goldsboro , 

Wayne Goldsboro < 

Wayne Goldsboro 

Wayne Goldsboro 

Wayne Goldsboro 

Wayne Goldsboro 

Wayne Goldsboro 


Industry  and  Owner  or  Manager. 


Sash,  Doors  and  Blinds;  R.  Pinkston. 

Roller  Flour  Mill;  J.  S.  Pothress. 

Pine  and  Juniper  Lumber;  Plymouth  Lum.Co, 

Pine  and  Juniper  Lumber;  R.  L.  Roper. 

Barrels,  Boxes,  Crates,  &c,;  T.  J.  Basnight. 

Barrels,  Boxes,  Crates,  &c.;  A.  Alexander. 

Wagons  and  Carts;  J.  A.  Mills. 

Ice;  Jones  &  Powell. 

N.  C.  Car  Company;  W.  F.  Ashley,  Supt. 

Lobdell  Car  Wheel  Works;  W.E.Ashley,  Supt. 

Wagons  and  Carts;  J.  W.  Evans. 

Candies;  A.  D.  Royster. 

Engines,  Boilers,  Agr.  Mch.;  Allen  &  Cram. 

Leather  Manufacturers;  E.  F.  Wyatt  &  Son. 

Candies;  Barbee  &  Pope. 

Brooms  &  Mattresses;  Institute  for  Blind. 

Roller  Flour  Mills;  J.  A.  Mills. 

Ice  &  Refrigerator  Co.;  T.  L.  Eberhardt. 

N.  C.  B'ldg.  &  Sup.  Co. ;  Hicks,  Ellington  &  Co. 

Blank  and  Rec.  Books;  Edwards  &  Broughton. 

Furniture;  R.  Roles  &  Son. 

Wagons  and  Carts;  W.  H.  Hollowav. 

Blank  and  Rec.  Books;  E.  M.  Uzzell. 

Wagon  Works;  A.  Bowen. 

Foundry  &  Machine  Shops;  J.  H.  Gill. 

Tobacco  Flues;  Charles  Lumsdon. 

Carriages  and  Buggies;  T.  B.  Yancy. 

Tobacco  Flues;  J.  Lewis  Hardware  Co. 

Printing  and  Wrapping  Papers;  J.  N.  Holding. 

Wire  Mattresses;  A.  F.  Purefoy. 

Agricultural  Implements;  W.  B.  Dunn  &  Co. 

Bed  Springs;  Corporation. 

Wagons,  Plows  and  Impl'ts;  J.  P.  H.  Adams. 

Tannery;  Louis  Wilson. 

Roller  Flour  Mill;  R.  D.  Fleming. 

Spokes  and  Handles;  A.  &  W.  B.  Crinkley. 

Carriages  and  Buggies;  J.  M.  Ransom. 

Carriages  and  Carts;  W.  E.  Davis. 

Tannery;  Coffee  Brothers. 

Tannery;  H.  W.  Hardin. 

Tannery;  E.  M.  Green. 

Roller  Flour  Mill;  J.  P.  Council. 

Roller  Flour  Mill;  Horton  &  McBride. 

Sash,  Doors,  Blinds,  &c.;N.  O'Berry. 

Furniture;  W.  H.  Borden. 

Plows  and  Castings;  W.  H.  Smith. 

Barrels,  Hoops  and  Lumber;  F.  C.  Overman. 

Agricultural  Machinery;  Dewey  Brothers. 

Ice;  Goldsboro  Ice  Co. 

Crates  and  Baskets;  Stock  Co. 

Wayne Goldsboro Wagons  and  Buggies;  Moore  &  Robinson. 

Wayne Goldsboro Bricks  and  Tiles;  H.  L.  Grant. 

Wayne Goldsboro JHandles;  Dean,  Pearson  &  Co. 

Wayne Goldsboro {Cleaning  and  Grinding  Rice;  Stock  Co. 

Wayne Mt.  Olive Crates,  Baskets,  Boxes,  &c.;  G.  W.  Bridges. 

Wilkes Wilkesboro Wool  Carding;  Moravian  Wool  Carding  Co. 

Wilkes Wilkesboro Ins'l'r.  Pin  &  Bracket  Wks.;  R.  A.  Spainhour. 

Wilkes NorthWilkesboroTannery;  C.  C.  Smoot  &  Sons  Co. 

Wilkes North WilkesborolShuttle  Blocks;  J.  L.  Turner. 


i^^sm:^mm^^^m 


STEAMER    NEUSE  — ELIZABETH    CITY    DEPOT  -  NORFOLK    &    SOUTHERN    RAILWAY. 


Miscellaneous  Industries. 


213 


County  and  Post  OiEce. 


Wilkes.... 

North  Wilkesboro 

Wilkes  . . . 

NorthWilkesboro 

Wilkes 

Dehart 

Wilkes 

.  . .  .Miller's  Creek.  .  . 

Wilson  . . . 

Wilson 

Wilson  .  . . 

Wilson 

"Wilson  .  . . 

.  . .  .Wilson 

W^ilson  .  . . 

Wilson 

Yadkin .  .  . 

East  Bend 

Yadkin .  .  . 

East  Bend 

Yadkin  . . . 

East  Bend 

Yadkin  . . . , 

East  Bend 

Yadkin  . . . 

East  Bend 

Yadkin. . . , . 

Boonville 

Yadkin 

. . .  .Boonville 

Yadkin 

.  . .  .Yadkinville 

Yadkin 

.  . .  .Yadkinville 

Yadkin 

.  .  .  .Yadkinville 

Yadkin 

.  .  . .  Hampton ville.. .  . 

Yadkin 

.  . .  .Hamptonville.  .  . 

Yadkin 

.  . .  .Hamptonville.  .  . 

Industry  and  Owner  or  Manager. 


Sash,  Doors  and  Blinds;  Wallace  &  Barnes. 

Pottery;  Kennedy  &  Co. 

Ship  Pm  Works;  D.  E.  Page. 

Roller  Flour  Mill;  Turner  &  Wyatt. 

Buggies  and  Carriages;  Hackney  Bros. 

Roller  Flour  Mill,  J.  T.  Wiggans. 

Creamery;  C.  T.  Finch. 

Iron  Works;  Geo.  H.  Wainright. 

Cannery;  Morse  &  Wade. 

Buggies  and  Carriages;  J.  G.  Huff. 

Buggies  and  Carriages;  T.  A.  Smitherman. 

Cannery;  R.  Patterson. 

Roller  Mills;  J.  G.  Huff. 

Tannery;  J.  H.  Williams. 

Buggies  and  Carriages;  M.  I^.  Woodhouse. 

Furniture;  John  James. 

Tannery;  S.  H.  Mackey. 

Roller  Flour  Mill;  Benj.  Shore. 

Tannery;  8.  M.  Haynes. 

Tannery;  G.  W.  Miller. 

Tannerv;  Luther  Miller. 


Note — The  above  list  represents  only  such  industries  as  are  reported  by  voluntary  corres- 
pondents to  the  Department  of  Agriculture,  and  does  not  claim  to  be  accurate  or  nearly  so. 


RAILROADS  AND  STEAMBOATS. 


The  history  of  railroad  construction  in  North  Carolina  would 
make  an  interesting  chapter,  but  it  would  be  out  of  place  in  these 
pages.  With  such  an  history,  the  name  of  Dr.  Joseph  Caldwell,  at 
one  time  president  of  the  University,  would  be  inseparably  linked. 

The  first  line  chartered  in  the  State  was  that  between  Fayette- 
Yille  and  Salisbury,  1833;  it  was  surveyed  and  finally  failed  for  lack 
of  funds.  The  Raleigh  and  Gaston  railroad  w^as  begun  in  1836,  and 
completed  in  1840.  In  the  same  year,  the  Wilmington  and  Weldon 
railroad  was  completed  between  the  terminals.  This  road  was 
one  hundred  and  forty -six  miles  in  length  and  was  then  one  of  the 
longest  roads  on  the  continent;  and,  indeed,  longer  than  any  at  that 
date  in  Europe. 

The  North  Carolina  railroad — Goldsboro  to  Charlotte — two  hun- 
dred and  twenty-three  miles  in  length,  was  completed  in  1856,  and 
the  next  year  saw  the  completion  of  the  Atlantic  and  North  Carolina 
railroad  from  Goldsboro  to  Morehead  and  Beaufort  harbor;  it  is  ninety- 
seven  miles  long  and  links  the  east  with  the  great  Piedmont  region. 
I^ater  the  western  links  of  the  system  were  completed,  from  Salisbury 


214 


North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


to  Morganton  first,  and  then  after  delays;  hindrance  in  time  of  war 
and  lack  of  funds  after,  the  road  finally  reached  Asheville,  at  which 
point  it  divided;  the  Paint  Rock  branch  was  completed  in  1882  and 
the  Murphy  branch  in  1890.  These  older  roads  formed  the  back-bone 
to  the  many  other  lines  now  operated  in  the  State,  and  all  make  con- 
nections with  or  form  part  of  the  great  main  lines  of  the  United 
States.  The  total  length  of  railroad  from  Murphy  in  Cherokee 
county,  to  Beaufort  harbor  on  the  Atlantic,  is  538.20,  miles,  and  is 
full  of  interest  and  scenic  beauty  from  the  shell  bedecked  shores  of 
old  Ocean  to  the  towering  crests  of  the  cloud-kissed  Balsams.  The 
total  number  of  miles  of  railroad  in  the  State  is  3,616.58. 

The  following  statement  shows  the  railroads,  steamboats,   tele- 
graph lines,  other  property  and  their  valuation: 


NAME  OF  ROAD. 


Atlantic  Coast  Line  System 


Albemarle  and  Raleigh 

Cheraw  and  Darlington 

Petersburg 

"Wilmington, Columbia&  Augusta 
"Wilmington,  Chadburn&Cou  way. 

Wilmington  and  Weldon 

Norfolk  and  Carolina 

Tarboro  Branch 

Scotland  Neck  Branch 

Midland  Branch 

Wilson  &  Fayetteville  Branch.... 

Nashville  Branch 

Clinton  Branch 

Washington  Branch 


Total 

Southern  Railway  System. 

Atlanta  and  Charlotte  Air-Line.. 

Atlantic,  Tennessee  and  Ohio 

Asheville  and  Spartanburg 

Charlotte,  Columbia  &  Augusta. 

Danville  and  Western 

H.  Ft.,  R.,  Ashboro  &  Southern.. 

Coster  &  Thomas,  Trustees 

North  Carolina 

North  Carolina  Midland 


Northwestern  North  Carolina. 

Oxford  and  Clarksville 

Oxford  and  Henderson  

Piedmont 

State  University 

Statesville  and  Western 

L  120.3.5@8,500 
West'n  N.Carolina.  \   85.60  "8,000 

(  125.55  "3,500 
Yadkin 


Total 

Seaboard  Air- Line  System. 


Palmetto 

Carolina  Central. 


205.211  @  4,500 
10  "  9,000 
58  "  6,000 


(205 

.\    53 

(   25. 


Mileage 


Valua- 
tion 

per 
Mile. 


54. 2S 
14.41 
7.67 
66.64 
25.53 

174.08 
68.73 
15.10 
88.63 
21.63 

121.50 
19.53 
13.54 
25.69 


716.91 


48.87 
45.43 
43.95 
14.68 
75 
30.25 


226.20 
26.98 
29.74 
75.84 
5196 
14.39 
46.57 
10.56 
21.12 

331.60 

43.90 


1,062.69 


7  33 
283.97 


4,000 
3,000 

10,000 

10,000 
2,000 

10,000 
8,500 
8,500 
6,000 
3,000 

10,0(10 
3.500 
3,500 
4,000 


10,000 
5,500 
7,000 
8,500 
3,000 
3,500 


2,000 


Value   of 
Track. 


I    216,920  00 

43,230'  00 

76,700  00 

666,400  00 

63,825  00 

1,740,800  00 

584,205  00 

128,350  00 

531,780  00 

64,890  00 

1,215,000  00 

68-355  00 

47,390  00 

102,760  00 


Rolling 
Stock. 


Other 
Property. 


Total 
Valuation. 


5  31,370  00 

2,998  25 

11,125  08 

95,942  44 

4,080  00 

279,322  00 

112,529  16 

lt),455  00 

96,353  00 

4,000  00 

224,748  00 

12,207  00 

8,758  00 

18,587  00 


$5,550,605  00  $918,474  93  |189,347  00 

•        I 


11,745  00 
2,520  00 
1,000  00 
9,772  00 
500  00 

80,440  00 
9,210  00 
5,400  00 

22,170  00 
85  00 

26,985  00 
2,940  00 
1,260  00 

15,320  00 


488,700  00 
249,865  00 
307,650  00 
124,780  00, 
2,250  00, 
105,875  00 


40,623  98 

5,930  00 

17,921  89 

23,049  34 


,647,195  00 


14,660  00 
1,555,185  00 


8,565,00 


114,708  00 


5,430  00 
6,650  00 
3,250  00 
3,890  00 


4,140  00 


150,309  00 
3,860  00 

27,115  OOJ  12,300  00 

14,756  80]  5,875  00 
2,.';00  00 
4,6.30  00 
1 ,000  00 


$  260,035  00 

48,748  25 

88,825  08 

772,114  44 

68,40o  00 

2,100  562  00 

705,944  16 

150,205  00 

650,303  00 

68,975  00 

1,466,733  00 

83,502  00 

.57,408  00 

136,667  00 


8,765  00 
'2,5i5'66 


118,645  00 
8,310  00 


3,950  00 

43,230  00 

4,000  00 


$390,905  01  $255,014  00 


1,598  00 
211,477  00 


$6,658,426  9S 


534,753  98. 

262,445  00 

328,821  89 

151,719  34 

2,250  OO 

118,580  00 

10,000  00 

1,802.767  00 

71,310  00 

460,245  00 

254,451  80 
61,630  OO 

470,330  00 
24,635  OO 
46,190  00 

2,309,075  00 

122,060  OO 

$7,031,264  01 


75  00 
26,655  00 


16,333  00 
1,793,317  00 


Railroads  and  Steamboats. 


215 


NAME  OF  ROAD. 


Durham  and    Northern , 

Georgia,  Carolina  and  Northern. 

Louisburg 

Murfreesboro 

Pittsboro 

Raleigh  and  Gaston 

Raleigh  and  Augusta 

Roanoke  and  Tar  River 

Seabord  and  Roanoke 


Total. 


Miscellaneous. 

Aberdeen  and  Rock-Fish.. 
Aberdeen  and  West  End.. 


Atlantic  and  North  Carolina 

Atlantic  and  Danville 

Cape  Fear  and  Yadkin  Valley 

Carthage 

Cashie  and  Chowan 

Wellington  and  Powellsville 

Ohio  River  and  Charleston 

Danville, Mocksville  &  Southw'n. 
E.  Tennessee  &  W.  N.  Carolina., 

Egypt 

Glendon  &  Gulf  Mfg.  &  Min.  Co. 

Northampton  and  Hertford 

Hoffman  and  Troy 

Jamesville  and  Washington 

Chester  and  Lenoir 

Marietta  and  North  Georgia 

Norfolk  and  Southern 


New  Hanover  Transit  Co 

Norfolk  and  Western.  ^ 

Roanoke  &  Southern  Division.  > 
Lynchburg  &  Durham  Division.  ) 

Moore  County 

Raleigh   and  Western 

SuffolK  and  Carolina  

Suffolk  Lumber  Company 

Warren  ton 

Wilmington, Newbern  &  Norfolk. 
Wilmington  Railwaj'  Bridge  Co.. 
W^ilmiugton  Sea  Coast 

Winton 


Total 1,171,511 


Mileage 


43.87 
15.86 
10.33 
6.29 
12.30 

113.53 
10.72 

105.18 
35.71 
20.38 

665.47 


16.00 

4.00 

29.75 

10. '.26 

22.40 

35590 

21.60 

29.00 

26.00 

66.24 

8.00 

3.00 

8.00 

8.58 

9.00 

3.50 

7.00 

64  53 

1.3.25 

62.07 

32.34 

3.12 


Valua- 
tion 

per 
Mile. 


4,500 
9,000 
3,000 
2,000 
2,000 

10,000 
3,000 
9,000 
4,000 

10,000 


1,750 
2,000 
2,2;50 
5,000 
5,000 
5,000 
2,000 
1,250 
1,000 
4,000 
2,500 
3,100 
2,000 
2,000 
2,000 
1,500 
2,000 
3,000 
4,000 
6,000 
3,000 
2,000 


Value  of 
Track. 


Rolling 
Stock. 


17,420  00 
4,324  94 


197,415  00 
142,740  00 

30,990  00 

12,580  00 

24,600  00 
1,135,300  00,  301,570  00 

mm  \\   2^'058oo 

142,840  00 

203,800  OOi     43,000  58 


$4,438,890  00,5603,448  52 


49.661 

43.57 

12.50 

7.00 

1.00 

25..50| 

9.00 

3.12 

90.49; 

2.40  . 

11.81; 

15.00: 

5.00; 


6,500 
6,000 
1,500 
100 
1,000 
2,500 
2,500 
2,000 
3,500 


3,000 

i:,000 

500 


28,000  00 

\    74,937  50 

511,300  00 

112,000  00 

1,779,500  00 

43,200  00 

36,250  00 

26,O0J  00 

264,960  00 

20,000  00 

9,300  00 

16,000  00 

17,160  00 

18,0U0  00 

5,250  00 

14,000  00 

193,590  00 

53,000  00 

372,420    ) 

97,020    5 

6,240  00 


3,000  00 

14,105  00 

64,450  00 
19,774  90 
225,540  00 
3.800  00 
4,000  00 
6,150  00 
75,205  00 


Other 
Property. 


5,800  00 

2,500  00 

450  00 

200  00 

400  00 

23,375  00 


Total 
Valuation. 


220,635  00 
149,564  94 
31,440  00 
12,780  00 
25,000  00 
1,460,245  00 


13.800  OOl  1,016,638  00 


4,420  00 
2,900  00 


147,260  00 
219,700  58 


$  80,575  00  S5,122,913  52 


200  00 

2,400  00 

43,350  00 

750  00 

36,250  00 

1,2' 0  00 


322,790  00 

217,850  00 

18,750    ) 

70'J    j 

1,000  00 

63,750  00 

22,500  00' 

6,240  00 

316,715  00 

80,000  00 

35,430  00 

30,000  00 

2,500  00 


2,8o5  00 
12  365  00 
1,525  00 
2,750  00 
3,200  00 
2,800  00 
9,815  00 
3,100  00 

111,853  00 

1,320  00 


6,500  00 
1,000  00 
1,350  00 


072  52 
,216  77 


5,280  00 


605  97 
000  00 
500  00 
5G0  00 


:,000  00 

1,350  00 


325  00 


7,000  00 

2,320  00 

600  00 

40,300  00 


17.479  00 
4,731  00 

342  00 


922  50 


700  00 
20,670  00 


200  00 
150  00 


31,200  00 
91,442  50 

619,100  00 

132,524  90 

2,041,290  00 

48,200  00 

40,250  00 

32,150  00 

346,665  00 

21,000  00 

13,515  00 

28,365  00 

18,685  00 

21,075  00 

8,450  00 

23,800  00 

205,725  00 

56,700  00 

621,593  00 

7,580  00 


356,o41  52 

241,797  77 

25,072  00 

1,000  00 
75,278  47 
29,500  00 

9,440  00 

380,945  00 

80,000  00 

39,630  00 

41,000  00 


$4,816,3.52  50  5684,203  16'fl88,739  50  55,689,295  16 


Telegraph  companies— Poles,  Wires  and  Batteries.  Valuation. 

Western  Union  Telegraph  Company S  176,392  24 


Atlantic  Postal  Telegraph  Company 

Carthage  Telegraph  Company 

Pittsboro  Telegraph  Company 

Louisburg  Telegraph  Company , 

Norfolk  and  Southern 

United  Telegraph  Company 

Cleveland  Springs  Telegraph  Company 

Oak  Ridge  and  Stokesdale  Telegraph  Company 

Elizabeth  City  and  Norfolk  Telegraph  Company.... 

Lenoir  and  Blowing  Rock  Telegraph  Company 

Swepsonville  Telegraph  Company 

Carolina  Postal  Telegraph  Company 

Wilmington  and  Southport  Telegraph  Company... 

Total  $212,602  72 

Pullman  Palace  Car  Company 81,043  65 


31,645  48 
210  00 
250  00 
250  00 
975  00 
120  00 
50  00 
210  00 
1,090  00 
480  00 
225  00 
205  00 
500  00 


2l6 


North  Caroi^ina  and  its  Resources. 


STEAMBOATS.-OWNERS. 


Moccasin  River  Steamboat  Company , 

Cape  Fear  River  Towing  and  T.  Company 

Albemarle  Steam  Navigation  Company 

Pamlico  Towing  Company 

Home  Transportation  Company 

Fairfield  Canal  Company 

A.  W.  Styron 

Styrons  Transportation  Company 

Cashie  Steam  Navigation  Company , 

J.  G.  and  F.  Wood 

Fleetwood  and  Jackson 

Farmer's  Co-operation  Company ■. 

New  Bern  Lumber   Company 

D.  W.  Raper&  Company 

Dixon  &  Dixon 

David  Styron 

Old  Dominion  Steamship  Company 

Albemarle  and  Chesapeake  Canal  Company 

M.  E.  Sutton 

Jno.  W.  Harper 

Y-Talter  Taft  

W.  H.    Ward 

Black  River  Steamboat  Company 

Cape  Fear  River  Transportation  Company 

J.  T.  Harper 

Chas.  Wessell 

Branning  Manufacturing  Company 

New  Bern  and  Snow  Hill  Steamboat  Company. 

Chas.  L.  Ives 

J.  T.  Lassiter 

J.  C    W^hitty 

Roanoke  and  Tar  River  Steamboat  Company 

I,ake  Drummond  Canal  and  Water  Company 

"Wilmington  Steamship  Company 

Fairfield  and  Elizabeth  City  Transportation  Company 

J.  H.  Riley 

A.  J.  Gatlin 


Kinds  of  Property. 


Steamers , 

Steamers , 

Steamers 

Steamers 

Steamers 

Canal  Property , 

Steamers 

Steamers , 

Steamers 

Steamers 

Steamers... , 

Steamers 

Steamers 

Steamers 

Steamers 

Steamers 

Steamers  and  Wharves. 

Canal  Property 

Steamers 

Steamers , 

Steamers 

Steamers 

Steamers , 

Steamers 

Steamers , 

Steamers 

Steamers 

Steamers 

Steamers 

Steamers  and  Wharves... 

Steamers 

Steamers 

Canal  I'roperty 

Steamers 

Steamers 

Steamers 

Steamers 


Total 

Assessed. 

Value. 


$    1,500  00 

21,000  00 

1,000  00 

1,1)00  00 

3,000  00 

6,453  00 

500  00 

4,000  00 

1,000  00 

3,600  00 

1,200  00 

S.'iO  00 

400  00 

800  00 

600  00 

600  00 

42,0(10  00 

100,000  00 

1.000  00 

8,000  00 

1,500  00 

1,000  00 

7,100  00 

6,200  00 

3,000  00 

700  00 

6,000  00 

1,000  00 

800  00 

l,3on  00 

1,000  00 
6, .500  00 
1,600  00 
50,000  00 
1,000  00 
1,000  00 
1,000  00 


$289,003  00 


RECAPITULATION  OF  STATEMENT   A — 

Atlantic  Coast  Line  System 716.91  miles,  valuation,  $  6,658,426  93 

Southern   Railway 1,062.69  miles,  valuation,  7,031,264  01 

Seaboard  Air  Line 665.47  miles,  valuation,  5,122,913  00 


Miscellaneous 1,171.51  miles,  valuation, 

3,616.58  miles. 

Pullman  Palace  Car  Company 

Steamboats 

Telegraph  Companies 


3,295  16 


$  24,501,899  62 

81,043  65 

289,003  00 

212,602  72 

$  26,084,548  99 


NEWSPAPERS. 


There  are  semi-monthly,  monthly  and  yearly  publications  in 
North  Carolina,  but  here  it  is  only  intended  to  present  a  list  of 
newspapers,  circulated  in  daily,  semi-weekly  and  weekly  editions. 


Newspapers. 


;i7 


COUNTY. 


Alamance .  . . 
Alamance.  . . 

Anson 

Anson 

Alleghany... . 
Alexander...  . 

Beaufort 

Beaufort 

Beaufort 

Beaufort 

Bertie 

Brunswick.. . 
Buncombe..  . 
Buncombe.. . 
Buncombe. . . 

Burke 

Cabarrus  . . . . 

Cabarrus  

Caldwell 

Caswell 

Caswell 

Catawba 

Catawba 

Catawba 

Carteret 

Chatham  . . . , 
Cherokee. . . . 

Cherokee 

Chowan , 

Cleveland  . . . 
Cleveland  . . . 
Cleveland  . . . 
Cleveland  . . . 
Columbus  .  . . 
Columbus... . 
Columbus... . 

Craven 

Craven 

Cumberland . 
Cumberland . 
Davidson. . . . 
Davidson   . . . 

Davie 

Durham 

Durham 

Durham 

Durham 

Edgecombe. . 

Forsyth  

Forsyth 

Forsyth 

Forsyth 

Franklin 

Franklin  . . . . 

Gaston 

Granville 

Greene 

Guilford 

Guilford 


Graham 

Burlington. . 
Wadesboro.. 
Wadesboro.. 

Sparta 

Taylorsville. 
Washington . 

Aurora 

Washington. 
Washington . 

Windsor 

Southport... 
Asheville, . . . 

Asheville 

Asheville. . . . 
Morganton.. 

Concord 

Concord 

L/enoir 

Yanceville... 

Milton 

Hickory 

Hickory 


Newton. 

Beaufort 

Pittsboro 

Murphy 

Murphy 

Fdenton 

King's  Mountain. 
Boiling  Springs  . 

Shelby 

Shelby 

Whiteville...- 

Vineland 

Whiteville 

New  Bern 

New  Bern 

Fayetteville  . .    . . 

Fayetteville 

L/exiugton 

Thomasville 

Mocksville 

Durham 

Durham 

Durham 

Durham 

Tarboro 

Winston 

Winston 

Winston 

Kernersville 

Franklinton 

Louisburg 

Gastonia 

Oxford 

Orraondsville 

Greensboro 

Greensboro 


Name  of  Paper. 


Alamance  Gleaner  Weekly 

Burlington  News Daily  and  Weekly 

Wadesboro  Messenger Weekly 

Wadesboro  News Weekly 

Alleghany  Star Weekly 

Index Weekly 

Washington  Progress Weekly 

The  Progressive  Age Weekly 

Washington  Gazette Weekly 

Evening  Messenger Daily 

Windsor  Ledger Weekly 

Southport  Leader Weekly 

Asheville  Citizen Daily  and  Weekly 

Morning  Gazette Daily 

Western  Carolina  Advocate  Weekly 

Morganton  Herald Weekly 

Concord  Times Weekly 

Daily  Standard Daily  and  Weekly 

Lenoir  Topic Weekly 

Caswell  News Weekly 

Chronicle Weekly 

Hickory  Mercury Weekly 

Press Weekly 

Newton  Enterprise Weekly 

Beaufort  Herald Weekly 

Chatham  Record  Weekly 

Murphy  Bulletin Weekly 

Cherokee  Scout Weekly 

Courier  Weekly 

Progressive  Reformer Weekly 

Rural  Reformer Weekly 

Shelby  Aurora Weekly 

Cleveland  Star Weekly 

Columbus  News Weekly 

Star  of  Columbus. Weekly 

The  Sun   Weekly 

Journal Daily 

Journal Weekly 

North  Carolina  Baptist Weekly 

Fayetteville  Observer, . .  .Daily  and  Weekly 

Davidson  Dispatch Weekly 

Thomasville  News Weekly 

Davie  Times. Weekly 

Durham  Daily  Sun Daily 

Morning  Herald Daily 

Durham  Weekly  Globe Weekly 

Durham  Recorder Weekly 

Tarboro  Southerner Weekly 

Union  Republican , Weekly 

Sentinel Daily  and  Weekly 

Southern  Tobacco  Journal Weekly 

Silver  Advocate Weekly 

Franklinton  Weekly Weekly 

Franklin  Times  Weekly 

Gastonia  Gazette Weekly 

Public  Ledger Weekly 

Free  Will  Baptist Weekly 

The  Record Daily  and  Weekly 

The  Patriot Weekly 


2lS 


North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


COUNTY. 


Guilford 

Guilford 

Guilford 

Halifax 

Halifax 

Harnett 

Harnett 

Haywood 

Haywood 

Haywood 

Henderson  . . . . 

Hertford 

Iredell 

Iredell 

Iredell 

Jackson  ....... 

Jackson  

Joiinston 

Lenoir 

Lincoln 

Lincoln 

Macon 

Martin 

Mecklenburg.  . 
Mecklenburg... 
Mecklenburg... 
Mecklenburg... 
Mecklenburg.  . 
Mecklenburg... 
Mecklenburg.  . 

Mitchell 

Moore 

Moore 

Moore 

Moore 

McDowell 

McDowell 

Nash 

Nash 

Nash 

New  Hanover.. 
New  Hanover.. 
New  Hanover.. 
New  Hanover.. 
New  Hanover.. 
Northampton... 

Orange 

Orange 

Orange 

Onslow 

Pasquotank. . . . 
Pasquotank.. . . 
Pasquotank. . . . 
Pasquotank.. .  . 

Person 

Perquimans.  .  . 
Perquimans.  .  . 

Pitt 

Pitt 


Greensboro 

Greensboro 

High  Point 

Weldon 

Scotland  Neck. 

Dunn 

Dunn 

Waynesville... . 
Waynesville.. ,  . 

Clyde 

Hendersonville. 
Murfreesboro. .. 

Statesville 

Statesville 

Mooresville  . . . . 

Sylvia . 

Webster 

Smithfield 

Kiuston 

Lincolnton. . . ., 

Lincolnton 

Franklin 

Williamston 

Charlotte 

Charlotte 

Charlotte 

Charlotte 

Charlotte 

Charlotte 

Charlotte 

Bakersville 

Carthage 

Aberdeen 

Jonesboro 

Sanford 

Marion 

Marion 

Rocky  Mount . . 
Rocky  Mount. . 

Whitakers 

Wilmington . . . . 
Wilmington... . 
Wilmington.. . . 
Wilmington. . .  . 
Wilmington.. . . 

Lasker 

Hillsboro 

Hillsboro 

Chapel  Hill.  ... 

Peanut 

Elizabeth  City.. 
Elizabeth  City.. 
Elizabeth  City.. 
Elizabeth  City.. 

Roxboro 

liertford 

Hertford 

Greenville  . . . . , 
Greenville 


Name  of  Paper. 


Christian  Advocate Weekly 

Carolina  Methodist Weekly 

Enterprise , Weekly 

Roanoke  News Weekly 

The  Commonwealth Weekly 

Central  Times Weekly 

County  Union , Weekly 

Western  North  Carolina  Baptist. . .  .Weekly 

Waynesville  Courier Weekly 

Clyde  Register Weekly 

The  Times Weekly 

Index Weekly 

The  Mascot Weekly 

The  Landmark Semi-Weekly 

The  Toiler Weekly 

Tuckaseegee  Democrat Weekly 

The  Herald .Weekly 

Herald Weekly 

Free  Press Semi-Weekly 

Lincoln  Courier Weekly 

Lincoln  Democrat Weekly 

Franklin  Press Weekly 

Martin  County  Sun Weekly 

Charlotte  Observer Daily  and  Weekly 

The  Messenger Weekly 

Charlotte  News Daih' 

Mecklenburg  Times Weekly 

Register Weekly 

Africo-American  Presbyterian Weekly 

Charlotte  Democrat Weekly 

Times Weekly 

Carthage  Blade Weekly 

Aberdeen  Telegram Weekly 

Progress Weekly 

Sanford  Express Weekly 

Free  Lance Weekly 

Marion  Herald Weekly 

Argonaut Weekly 

Phoenix Weekly 

The  Rattler Weekly 

Review Daily 

Messenger Daily  and  Weekly 

Dispatch Daily 

Morning  Star Daily  and  Weekly 

North  Caroliira  Presbyterian Weekly 

Patron  and  Gleaner Weekly 

Orange  County  Observer Weekly 

Hillsboro  Recorder Weekly 

Tar  Heel Weekly 

Onslow  Blade Weekly 

Elizabeth  City  News Weekly 

North  Carolinian Weekly 

Economist-Falcon Weekly 

Fisherman  and  Farmer .Weekly 

Person  County  Courier Weekly 

Perquimans  Record Weekly 

Eastern  Courier Weekly 

King's  Weekly Weekly 

Eastern  Reflector Daily  and  Weekly 


Newspapers. 


219 


COUNTY. 


Randolph... . 
Richmond. . , 
Richmond. . . 
Richmond. . . 

Robeson 

Robeson 

Robeson 

Rockingham. 
Rockingham. 
Rockingham. 
Rockingham. 

Rowan   

Rowan 

Rowan 

Rutherford. . 
Sampson  . . . . 
Sampson  . . .  . 

Stanly 

Stokes 

Stokes 

Surry 

Surry 

Swain ....... 

Swain 

Transylvania 

Union 

Union 

Union 

Vance 

Vance 

Wake 

Wake 

Wake 

Wake 

Wake 

Wake 

Wake. 

Wake 

Vv^ake 

Wake 

Wake 

Warren 

Warren 

Washington.. 
Watauga  . . . . 

Wayne 

Wayne 

Wilkes 

Wilkes 

Wilkes 

Wilson 

Wilson 


Ashboro 

Rockingham 

Rockingham 

Rockingham 

Maxton   

Maxton 

Lumberton 

Reidsville 

Reidsville 

Reidsville 

Leaksville 

Salisbury 

Salisbury 

Salisbury 

Forest  City 

Clinton   

Clinton 

Albemarle 

Culler 

Danbury 

Elkin 

Mt.  Airy 

Bryson  City 

Bryson  City 

Brevard 

Monroe 

Monroe 

Beaver  Dam 

Henderson 

Henderson 

Raleigh 

Raleigh 

Raleigh 

Raleigh 

Raleigh 

Raleigh 

Raleigh . 

Raleigh 

Raleigh 

Raleigh 

Raleigh 

Warrenton 

Warrenton 

Plymouth , 

Boon 

Goldsboro 

Goldsboro 

North  Wilkesboro. 
North  Wilkesboro. 

Wilkesboro 

Wilson . . .. 

Wilson 


Name  of  Paper. 


Ashboro  Courier Weekly 

The  Rocket Weekly 

Spirit  of  the  South Weekly 

Southern  Index Weekly 

Maxton  Blade Weekly 

Scottish  Chief Weekly 

Robesonian Weekly 

Webster's  Weekly Weekly 

The  Review Weekly 

Reformer Weekly 

Leaksville  Gazette Weekly 

Truth Weekly 

Star  of  Zion Weekly 

The  Evening  World Daily 

Ledger Weekly 

Sampson  Democrat Weekly 

Caucasian Weekly 

Stanly  News Weekly 

North  Carolina  Voice Weekly 

Danbury  Reporter Weekly 

Elkin  Times Weekly 

Yadkin  Valley  News Weekly 

Herald Weekly 

Bryson  City  Times Weekly 

Transylvania  Hustler Weekly 

Monroe  Enquirer Vv'eekly 

Monroe  Journal Weekly 

Our  Home - . .  Weekly 

Gold  Leaf Weekly 

The  Hustler Weekly 

Progressive  Farmer Weekly 

Biblical  Recorder Vv'eekly 

Press— Visitor Daily 

The  Gazette Weekly 

Christian  Sun Vv'eekly 

North  Carolinian Weekly 

News  and  Observer Daily  and  Weekly 

The  Lodge  Weekly Weekly 

T  he  National  Outlook Weekly 

State  Republican   Weekly 

Caucasian Weekly 

The  Record Weekly 

Warrenton  Gazette Weekly 

Roanoke  Beacon  Weekly 

Watauga  Democrat Weekly 

The  Headlight Weekly 

Argus Daily  and  Weekly 

North  Wilkesboro  News Weekly 

The  Hustler Weekly 

Chronicle Weekly 

Wilson  Times Weekly 

Wilson  Advance Weekly 


220  North  Caroi^ina  and  its  Resources. 

POPULATION. 

This  is  a  topic  of  interest  to  the  people  of  North  Carolina  from 
the  marked  fact  of  their  present  homogeneousness,  excepting,  of 
course  the  important  and  large  element  of  the  African  race,  and  the 
small  and  inferior  remnant  of  the  aboriginal  Indian,  still  in  possession 
of  a  large  territory  in  the  western  part  of  the  State,  and  the  still 
smaller  body  of  half-breeds,  known  as  the  Croatans,  occupying  a 
portion  of  Robeson  county,  and  believed,  fancifully  or  otherwise,  to 
be  the  descendants  of  the  members  of  the  lost  colony  of  Captain 
John  White,  the  first  effort  at  permanent  settlement  made  by 
Anglo-Saxon  whites  on  the  American  continent.  The  whites 
of  this  State,  now  so  intermingled  and  blended  by  intermar- 
riage and  industrial  intercourse  as  to  present  between  them  few 
distinctive  traits  of  their  origiUj  are  the  descendants,  mediately  or 
immediately,  of  the  dominant  European  races  coming  directly 
to  our  shores,  but  more  largely  the  off-shoots  of  the  northern 
colonies  grown  populous  and  powerful  enough  to  indulge  in  that  early 
development  of  the  American  characteristic,  love  of  change  and  adven- 
ture, or  the  more  practical  motive  of  bettering'  their  condition  by  the 
acquirement  of  new  lands,  unrestricted  in  limit,  of  nearly  nominal 
cost,  and  with  the  fame  of  unbounded  fertility  and  unequalled 
salubrity. 

Of  those  coming  direct  to  our  shores,  the  immigrating  colonies 
were  small  and  infrequent.  After  the  efforts  of  colonization  on  the 
waters  of  the  north-eastern  section  of  the  State,  in  1584,  under  the 
auspices  of  Sir  Walter  Raleigh  and  his  successors,  had  failed,  a  long 
interval  passed  away  before  decided  or  successful  effort  was  made  to 
plant  other  colonies  on  our  shores.  Among  the  more  ambitious  and 
well  considered  schemes  was  that  of  Sir  John  Yeamans,  who,  about 
the  year  i659-'6o,  landed  within  the  mouth  of  the  Cape  Fear  river  a 
body  of  several  hundred  colonists  of  English  birth  or  descent,  from  the 
island  of  Barbadoes.  A  settlement  at  about  the  same  spot  had  pre- 
viously been  made  by  adventurers  from  New  England,  who  thus  made 
this  section  favorably  known,  and  who  eventually  abandoned  it, 
disappointed  in  over- wrought  expectation.  In  like  manner  the 
colony  of  Sir  John,  or  the  larger  body  of  it,  moved  first  to  Port  Royal, 
in  South  Carolina,  and  subsequently  to  the  spot  where  they  founded 
the  present  city  of  Charleston,  but  leaving  behind  them  the  impress 
of  a  good  name  and  a  high  character,  permanently  stamped  and  mani- 
festing itself  upon  their  descendants  in  the  present  city  of  Wilmington 
and  other  points  on  the  lower  Cape  Fear. 


Population.  22 1 


In  lyog,  the  Baron  De  Gra£fenreid,  with  a  colony  of  Swiss,  estab' 
lished  himself  at  the  confluence  of  the  rivers  Neuse  and  Trent,  and 
there  founded  the  present  city  of  New  Bern — a  settlement  destined  ta 
be  permanent,  but  of  slow  growth,  and  receiving  few  farther  acces- 
sions from  the  native  land  of  the  founder. 

A  small  colony  of  Huguenots  found  a  refuge  from  persecution  in 
the  same  section,  biit,  beyond  the  impress  of  their  principles  and 
their  names,  contributed  only  in  small  degree  to  the  settlement  of 
North  Carolina. 

Perhaps  the  largest  body  of  native  Europeans  coming  approxi- 
mately at  one  time,  and  constituting  a  distinctive  foreign  element, 
was  the  Scotch  or  Highland  colony,  which  occupied  the  country 
along  the  upper  waters  of  the  Cape  Fear,  now  know  as  the  counties  of 
Bladen,  Cumberland,  Moore,  Robeson,  Richmond  and  Harnett. 
These  came,  some  voluntarily,  most  of  them  by  compulsion,  after  the 
disastrous  defeat  of  CuUoden,  in  1746.  They  have  also  blended  with 
the  other  European  families,  but  still  retain  in  marked  degree  their 
national  characteristics  of  piety,  morality,  and  care  of  education. 

The  lyOrds  Proprietors,  through  their  influence  and  inducements 
ofi"ered,  added  to  the  population,  which,  however,  came  in  singly  or 
in  small  groups  and  increased  slowly,  though  early  in  the  colonial 
history  making  the  Coastal  Plain  region  the  most  populous  in  the  State. 

The  other  chief  elements  of  settlement  were  refugees  from  reli- 
gious persecution  in  Virginia,  who  gradually  filled  up  the  north- 
eastern peninsula  around  the  waters  of  Albemarle  sound  and 
contiguous  territory.  In  process  of  time,  bodies  of  immigrants 
arrived  from  New  Jersey  and  Pennsylvania,  hearing  of  the  rich  lands 
and  fine  climate  of  the  upper  country.  Some  bodies  of  these  were  of 
German  descent.  A  still  larger  body  was  Scotch-Irish.  Both  planted 
themselves  in  harmonious  contiguity  from  Orange  county  on  the  east 
to  Catawba  county — as  that  county  became  eventually  known — along 
the  rich  bottoms  or  the  finely  timbered  uplands  of  the  Eno,  the  Yad- 
kin and  the  Catawba  rivers,  and  became  the  foundation  of  that 
population  destined  to  prove  in  coming  years  its  love  of  liberty,  its 
hostility  to  oppression,  its  indomitable  courage,  its  wakeful  care  of 
education,  its  intense  religious  fervor,  its  energies  and  its  industry;  a 
population,  withal,  so  widely  diffused  as  to  have  been  greatly  instru- 
mental in  forming  the  character  of  the  North  Carolinian  by  the  domi- 
nation of  these  leading  traits  and  qualities. 

The  location  of  his  large  colony  of  Moravians  by  Count  Zinzen- 
dorfif,  in  1754,  in  the  present  county  of  Forsyth,  is  the  only  instance 
of  attempted  complete  isolation,  of  the  seclusion  of  an  entire  colony, 


222  North  Caroi^ina  and  its  Resources. 

and  the  culture  of  peculiar  ideas  and  creeds — ideas  and  creeds  more 
in  harmony  with  the  real  aim  and  ends  ot  a  pure  Christianty  than 
human  philanthropy  has  often  aimed  to  put  in  practical  force.  This, 
like  all  other  colonies,  has  in  process  of  time  blended  with  the  great 
mass,  but  with  the  distinct  and  triumphant  survival  of  its  nobler 
characteristics — benevolence,  integrity,  devotion  to  morality,  religion 
and  education,  and  that  untiring  energy  which  brought  prosperity  to 
the  wilderness  colony,  and  future  increase  of  growth  and  wealth  to 
those  fine  towns,  Salem  and  Winston,  the  matured  or  rather  still  grow- 
ing and  maturing  outgrowth  of  the  simple,  pious,  un-ambitious,  reli- 
gious Moravian  colony. 

Of  the  negro  population  it  suffices  to  say  that  it  is  chiefly  descended 
from  the  slaves  captured  in  former  years  in  Africa,  and  introduced 
into  the  South  by  English,  Dutch,  and,  in  later  years,  New  England 
slave-ships.  Importation  of  slaves  into  North  Carolina  was  very  rare 
after  the  beginning  of  this  century.  The  increase,  therefore,  has 
been  from  natural  causes,  a  genial  climate,  a  humane  public  system 
and  the  kindly  temper  of  the  owners,  a  temper  softened  as  much  by 
humanity — very  often  by  affection — as  it  was  influenced  by  interest. 
Through  these  combined  causes,  the  negro  population  increased  until 
it  early  attained  the  ratio  to  that  of  the  whites  it  has  held  and  still 
holds — about  one-third  of  the  whole. 

Since  the  emancipation  of  the  race,  the  policy  of  the  State 
government,  sustained  by  a  just  and  humane  public  sentiment,  has 
done  everything  consistent  with  the  existence  of  insuperable  and 
ineradicable  ethnical  antagonisms,  to  efface  all  the  badges  of  former 
slavery.  The  negro  has  all  the  rights  of  the  citizen,  and  is  secured 
and  protected  in  the  exercise  of  them  with  the  same  jealous  safe- 
guard of  the  law  as  the  white  citizen.  He  testifies  before  the  courts 
without  question  as  to  race  competency;  he  accumulates,  if  he  will, 
property,  personal  and  real;  he  is  admitted  on  the  same  terms  with 
the  whites  to  the  practice  of  the  learned  professions;  he  has  the 
amplest  freedom  in  the  exercise  of  his  religious  beliefs,  and  the 
most  absolute  control  in  his  ecclesiastical  affairs.  His  infirm,  the 
deaf,  the  dumb,  the  blind  and  the  insane,  are  cared  for  by  the  State 
in  institutions,  proportionately  to  the  number  of  patients,  as  large, 
as  well  built,  as  costly,  and  as  well  supervised  by  competent 
heads,  as  those  of  the  whites.  His  education  is  well  provided  for, 
and  though  he  pays  a  little  more  than  one-third  of  the  poll-tax,  and 
one-thirtieth  of  such  property  tax  as  is  assigned  to  the  maintenance 
of  the  school  fund,  his  allotment  of  that  fund  is  in  proportion  to 
population,  not  to  that  of  race  contribution. 


Population.  223 


The  Indian  portion  of  the  population  is  confined  to  the 
mountain  counties  of  Jackson,  Swain  and  Graham.  They  are  a  rem- 
nant of  the  tribe  which  was  removed  in  1836  to  the  trans-Mississippi 
reservation,  and  which  obtained  the  consent  of  the  government  to  be 
exempted  from  the  decree  of  expatriation.  They  were  allotted  in  the 
counties  above  named  a  tract  of  about  100,000  acres,  and  left  in  the 
enjoyment  of  their  former  habits  and  customs.  They  are  for  the 
most  part  christianized,  and  speak  both  English  and  their  native 
tongue.  They  are  peaceable  and  generally  law-abiding,  but  do  not 
accumulate  property,  are  only  industrious  enough  to  meet  daily 
wants.     There  are  about  1,800  of  them,  and  they  increase  slowly. 

Of  the  Croatans  of  Robeson  county,  little  definite  can  be  said. 
Their  origin  is  involved  in  doubt,  though  it  is  clear  that  they  form  a 
mixed  and  distinct  class  of  the  blended  Indian  and  white  races. 
These  people  are  provided  by  the  State  with  their  separate  schools, 
and  they  take  great  interest  in  the  education  of  their  children. 

The  total  population  of  North  Carolina,  by  the  last  census,  was 
1,617,947.  These  are  divided  as  follow:  Whites,  1,049,191;  colored, 
567,170;  Chinese  and  Japane:?e,  15;  Indians  (exclusive  of  the  Croa- 
tans), 1,571.  The  normal  rate  of  increase  is  about  250,000  each 
decade,  but  during  the  last  few  years  considerable  immigration  from 
the  north  and  northwest  has  come  to  the  State,  and  it  will  be  entirely 
within  bounds  to  estimate  for  the  present  (1896)  population  at  not 
less  than  1,750,000 

It  is  interesting  to  note  that  the  same  census  puts  the  entire  for- 
eign-born population  of  the  State  at  3,742.  This  illustrates  the 
homogeneousness  of  the  mass  of  population.  No  immigration  from 
foreign  countries  comes  directly  to  North  Carolina,  but  the  immigra- 
tion mostly  coming  into  the  State,  and  which  is  mostly  desired, 
comes  from  New  England,  the  Middle  and  Northwestern  States. 

Following  is  a  table,  showing  the  population  by  counties,  made 
tip  from  the  last  census: 

Whites.      Coi<ore;d.      Totaj;. 

Alamance 12,688  5,583  18,271 

Alexander 8,588  842  9,430 

Alleghany ,.  6,061  462  6,523 

Anson 10,237  9,790  20,027 

Ashe 15.033  595  15,628 

Beaufort 11,869  9,203  21,072 

Bertie 7,885  11,291  19,176 

Bladen , 8,646  8,117  16,763 

Brunswick 6,139  4, 761  10,900 

Buncombe 28,640  6,626  35,266 


224 


North  Carolina  and  its  Resourcks. 


Burke 

Cabarrus 

Caldwell 

Camden 

Carteret 

Caswell 

Catawba 

Chatham 

Cherokee 

Chowan 

Clay 

Cleveland 

Columbus. . . . 

Craven 

Cumberland. . 

Currituck 

Dare 

Davidson 

Davie 

Duplin 

Durham 

Edgecombe... 

Forsyth    

Franklin 

Gaston 

Gates 

Graham 

Granville 

Greene 

Guilford...... 

Halifax 

Harnett 

Haywood 

Henderson  . . . 

Hertford 

Hyde  

Iredell 

Jackson  

Johnston 

Jones 

Lenoir 

Lincoln , 

McDowell 

Macon 

Madison    

Martin 

Mecklenburg. 

Mitchell 

Montgomery,. 


Whites. 

Colored. 

Total. 

12,378 

2,561 

14,939 

12,683 

5,459 

18,142 

10,737 

1,561 

12,298 

3.347 

2,320 

5,667 

8,528 

2,297 

10,825 

6,639 

9,389 

16,028 

16,073 

2,616 

18,689 

17,214 

8,199 

25,413 

9.655 

321 

9-976 

4,010 

5.157 

9,167 

4,055 

142 

4,197 

17,301 

3,093 

20,394 

11,804 

6,052 

17,856 

7,175 

13,358 

20,533 

14.952 

12,369 

27,321 

4,731 

2,016 

6,747 

3.362 

406 

3,768 

18,174 

3,528 

21,702 

8,769 

2,852 

11,621 

11,600 

7,090 

18,690 

10,712 

7,329 

18,041 

8,513 

15,600 

24,113 

19,433 

9,001 

28,434 

10,755 

10,335 

21,090 

12,927 

4,837 

17,764 

5.539 

4,713 

10,252 

3,137 

176 

3,313 

12,122 

12,362 

24,484 

5,281 

4,758 

10,039 

19,820 

8,232 

28,052 

9,614 

19,294 

28,908 

9.453 

4,247 

13,700 

12,829 

517 

13,346 

11,211 

1,378 

12,589 

5,906 

7,945 

13,851 

4,962 

3,941 

8,903 

19,516 

5,946 

25,462 

8,680 

832 

9,512 

19,917 

7,322 

27,239 

3,885 

3,518 

7,403 

8,517 

6,362 

14,879 

10,028 

2,558 

12,586 

9,114 

1,825 

10,939 

9,436 

666 

10,102 

17,095 

710 

17,805 

7,838 

7,383 

15,221 

23,141 

19,532 

42,673 

12,252 

555 

12,807 

8,982 

2,257 

11,239 

Population.  22  = 


Whites. 

Moore 13.985 

Nash 12,186 

New  Hanover 10,089 

Northampton 9)224 

Onslow 7,392 

Orange 9,705 

Pamlico 4,767 

Pasquotank 5,201 

Pender 5,967 

Perquimans    4,719 

Person 8,251 

Pitt 13.192 

Polk 4,807 

Randolph 21,848 

Richmond 10,989 

Robeson 16,629 

Rockingham 15,197 

Rowan 17,142 

Rutherford 15,073 

Sampson 15,960 

Stanly 10,629 

Stokes 14,386 

Surry - 16,926 

Swain 5,652 

Transylvania 5,368 

Tyrrell 3,000 

Union 15,712 

Vance 6,434 

Wake 26,093 

Warren 5,880 

Washington 4,961 

Watauga 10,180 

Wayne 15,115 

Wilkes 20,633 

Wilson 10,884 

Yadkin 12,421 

Yancey 9>i97 

State  total  ,,.. ,   ,, 1,055,382        562,565        1,617,947 


Colored. 

Total. 

6,494 

20,479 

8,521 

20,707 

13,937 

24,026 

12,018 

21,242 

2,911 

10,303 

5,243 

14,94s 

2,379 

7,146 

5,547 

10,748 

6,547 

12,514 

4,574 

9.293 

6,900 

15,151 

12,327 

25,519 

1,095 

5,902 

3,347      . 

25,195 

12,959 

23,948 

14,854 

31,483 

10,166 

25,363 

6,981 

24,123 

3,697 

18,770 

9,136 

25,096 

1,507 

12,136 

2,813 

17,199 

2,355 

19,281 

925 

6,577 

513 

5,881 

1,225 

4,225 

5,547 

21,259 

11,147 

17.581 

23.114 

49,207 

13,480 

19,360 

5,239 

10,200 

431 

10,611 

10,985 

26,100 

2,042 

22,675 

7,760 

18,644 

1,369 

13,790 

293 

9,  IQO 

RELIGION. 


The  religious  denominations  of  North  Carolina  stand  upon 
absolute  equality  in  respect  to  the  laws.  The  vigorous  temper  of  the 
people  during  Colonial  days  in  resisting  the  imposition  of  a  State 
religion  has  never  relaxed;  and  the  absolute  severance  of  church  and 


226  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

State  became  a  cardinal  and  inviolable  principle  in  the  assumption  of 
popular  sovereignty.  The  laws  and  the  constitution  extend  no 
special  favor  to  creed  or  denomination,  assuring  freedom  to  all  who 
worship  God  according  to  the  dictates  of  their  own  consciences. 

The  following  table,  carefully  calculated  by  those  in  authority  in 
the  several  denominations,  will  serve  to  show  the  names  of  the 
denominations  and  the  number  of  communicants  or  members  in  each 
for  the  year  1895-96: 

Methodist  Episcopal  Church  South,  (white). . .  129,040 

Methodist  Episcopal  Church  South,  (colored)..  17,000 

African  M.  E.  Zion,  (colored) 121,000 

Methodist  Protestant 16,416 

Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  [Northern]  (col.)  7,200 

Quakers  (or  Friends) 5,466 

L/utherans  (white) 16,000 

Lutherans,  (colored) 1,000 

German  Reformed  Church 3,200 

Moravians 3,829 

Presbyterians 30,292 

Associate  Reformed  Presbyterians,  (white)....  2,300 

Christians,  (O'Kellyites) 14,508 

Episcopalians 9,000 

Baptist,  (Missionary,  white  and  colored) 265,579 

Baptist,  (Anti-Missionary) 9, 75° 

Baptist,  (Campbellites) 6,000 

Baptist,  (Free  Will) 20,081 

Baptist,  ( Free  Will,  colored) 19,000 

Roman  Catholics,  (white) 3,800 

Roman  Catholics,  (colored) 200 


GOVERNHENT  AND  TAXATION. 


The  government  of  North  Carolina  is  a  pure  democracy.  It  is 
based  upon  the  will  of  the  people  as  expressed  in  the  Constitution, 
an  instrument  framed  by  them  in  their  sovereign  capacity  through 
delegates  appointed  for  that  purpose.  The  will  of  the  people  of  this 
and  of  each  State,  when  thus  expressed,  and  in  conformity  to  the 
Constitution  of  the  United  States — for  the  will  of  the  people  of  each 
State  is  subordinate  to  the  collective  will  of  the  people  of  all  the 
States — is  the  supreme  law.  The  State  Constitution  thus  made  is 
the  measure  and  test  of  all  laws  passed  by  the  I^egislature,  and  these 
laws  must  stand  or  fall  by  their  agreement  or  disagreement  with 
it. 


Government  and  Taxation.  227 

The  Constitution  is  a  short  instrument  but  wide  in  its  scope  and 
bearing.  It  contains  a  brief  statement  of  the  fundamental  principles 
of  civil  and  individual  liberty,  creates  the  diflferent  departments  of 
government — Executive,  Legislative  and  Judicial — and  prescribes  the 
powers  of  each;  establishes  educational,  charitable  and  penal  institu- 
tions; directs  who  shall  be  liable  to  duty  in  militia;  and  prescribes 
the  rights  of  citizenship. 

The  Legislature  enacts  laws.  The  Judiciary  passes  upon  them 
when  a  question  arises  as  to  their  constitutionality,  and  expounds 
them  when  a  question  is  presented  as  to  their  meaning.  The  execu- 
tion of  the  law  is  intrusted  to  the  Executive.  The  Executive  in  this 
State  possesses  no  veto  upon  the  acts  of  the  Legislature.  When  the 
law  is  once  made,  his  duty,  as  that  of  every  other  citizen,  is  obedi- 
ence in  his  sphere. 

The  rights  of  citizenship  are  the  only  points  for  consideration  here; 
and  these  depend  upon  age,  residence  and  previous  citizenship. 

A  citizen  of  a  foreign  country  can  make  himself  a  citizen  here  by 
becoming  a  resident;  declaring  before  the  proper  tribunal  his  purpose 
to  become  a  citizen;  and  taking  the  prescribed  oath  of  allegiance. 

A  citizen  of  any  other  of  the  United  States  becomes  a  citizen 
here  by  changing  his  residence  from  that  State  to  this. 

All  persons  who  are  born  and  continue  to  reside  within  this 
State  are  citizens  thereof. 

The  chief  privilege  of  citizenship  is  suffrage.  The  Constitution 
ordains  that,  "every  male  person  born  in  the  United  States,  and  every 
male  person  who  has  been  naturalized,  twenty-one  years  old,  or 
upward,  who  shall  have  resided  in  this  State  twelve  months  next 
preceding  the  election,  and  ninety  days  in  the  county  in  which  he 
offers  to  vote,  shall  be  deemed  an  elector." 

Citizenship  under  the  Constitution  of  North  Carolina,  carries 
with  i\  high  and  important  rights  apart  from  suffrage.  It  confers  a 
right  to  an  education  by  the  State,  such  as  will  qualify  the  citizen  for 
the  duties  to  be  performed.  If  he  be  without  property,  it  gives  him 
a  right  to  support  from  the  county,  if  incapable  of  earning  it  by  sick- 
ness or  old  age.  If  he  has  property  and  is  overtaken  by  irremedial 
misfortune,  it  exempts  from  execution  personal  property  to  the  value 
of  five  hundred  dollars,  and  vests  in  the  owner  in  fee-simple  the  home- 
stead and  the  dwellings  and  the  buildings  used  therewith  not  exceed- 
ing in  value  one  thousand  dollars,  to  be  selected  by  him.  The 
unfortunate  have  thus  a  secure  refuge  in  case  of  disaster  in  business. 

It  regulates  taxation  by  providing  that  the  General  Assembly  levy- 
ing a  tax  shall  state  the  object  to  which  it  is  to  be  applied,  and  enjoins 


228  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

that  it  be  applied  to  no  other  purpose.  It  establishes  an  equation 
between  the  property  and  the  capitation  tax  by  directing  that  the 
capitation  tax  levied  on  each  citizen  shall  be  equal  to  the  tax  on 
property  valued  at  three  hundred  dollars  in  cash.  The  capitation  tax 
is  levied  on  every  male  inhabitant  in  the  State  over  twenty-one  and 
under  fifty  years  of  age,  and  shall  never  exceed  two  dollars  on  the 
head.  The  effect  of  this  limitation  upon  the  capitation  tax  restricts  the 
tax  on  each  hundred  dollars  worth  of  property  to  sixty-six  and  two- 
thirds  cents.  It  further  directs  that  the  amount  levied  for  county 
purposes  shall  not  exceed  the  double  of  the  State  tax,  except  for  a 
special  purpose  and  with  the  approval  of  the  Legislature. 

The  rate  of  State  tax  now  levied  for  the  present  year  is  twenty- 
one  and  two-thirds  cents  on  one  hundred  dollars  valuation,  besides 
eighteen  cents  for  school  purposes,  and  three  and  one-third  cents  for 
pensions.  In  addition  there  are  taxes  levied  on  certain  pursuits, 
industries  and  interests  devoted  to  certain  purposes,  some  in  aid  of 
the  general  school  fund,  some  for  interest  on  public  debt. 

The  following  statement  from  the  State  Auditor's  Report  for  the 
year  ending  November  30,  1895,  sets  forth  the  aggregate  number  and 
value  of  the  various  subjects  of  taxation  in  the  State,  and  the  gross 
amount  of  the  State,  school  and  county  taxes  derived  from  the  same. 

State  Taxes. 
Number.  Vahiation. 

27,602,376  acres  of  land $115,081,323  00  1253,178  91 

70,219  town  lots 43,006,74100  94,61483 

152.343  horses 6,862,28400  15.09703 

115,038  mules 5,698,82500  12,53742 

860  jacks  and  jennies 45,83300  10083 

36,850  goats 32,90100  7238 

621,188  cattle 4,543.55500  9.99582 

1,198,027  hogs 1,778,92400  3,91364 

376,052  sheep 361,72300  795  79 

Farming  utensils,  &c 12,323,37500  27,11143 

Money  on  hand  or  on  deposit 3,576,726  00  7,868  79 

Solvent  credits 18,924,24000  41.633  33 

Stock  in  incorporated  companies. . .       3,310,92400  7,28403 

Railroads,  steamboats,  telegraph  and 

express  companies 25,084,548  99  62,711  37 

Privilege  taxes 55.454  27 

All  other  personal  property 18,932,527  00  41.651  5^ 

Total  valuation $259,564,449  99  $634,021  43 

ScHOOi,  Taxes. 

167,300  white  polls $250,458  85 

63,931  colored  polls 94,436  58 

Bankstock 5,177  25 


Government  and  Taxation.  229 

Railroad  property 39.205  99 

General  property — white 363,258  68 

General  property — colored 12,861  92 

From  other  sources iii  00 

Total  school  taxes $765,510  27 

County  Taxes. 

County  purposes f 693,809  12 

Special  county  taxes. 345.558  64 

Total  county  taxes $1,039,367  76 

The  executive  power  of  the  State  Government  is  vested  in  a 
Governor  and  a  I^ieutenant  Governor,  elected  by  the  popular  vote  for 
the  term  of  four  years,  the  Governor  ineligible  for  two  successive 
terms;  an  Attorney  General,  a  State  Treasurer,  an  Auditor,  a  Secre- 
tary of  State,  and  a  Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction,  all  of  whom 
are  eligible  for  re-election. 

The  legislative  department,  also  elected  by  the  popular  vote, 
elected  for  the  term  of  two  years,  and  holding  biennial  sessions.  The 
Senate  consists  of  fifty  members,  and  is  presided  over  by  the  lyieuten- 
ant  Governor  of  the  State,  and  the  House  of  Representatives,  of  120 
members,  presided  over  by  a  speaker  elected  from  arLong  the  mem- 
bers of  the  same.  The  sessions  are  limited  by  the  Constitution  to 
sixty  days,  but  may  be  prolonged  on  emergency,  but  with  suspension 
of  the/i?r  diem  pay.  Extra  sessions  may  be  called  by  the  Governor 
should  urgent  cause  make  it  necessary;  but  such  sessions  are  limited 
to  twenty  days,  but  may  be  extended  farther,  under  the  limitations  of 
pay  that  govern  the  regular  sessions. 

The  Judicial  department  consists  of  a  Supreme  Court,  presided 
over  by  a  Chief  Justice,  and,  in  conjunction  with  four  Associate 
Justices,  forming  the  highest  court  in  the  State.  The  Justices  are 
elected  for  a  term  of  eight  years,  and  are  eligible  to  re-election. 

The  Circuit  or  Superior  Court  is  composed  of  twelve  members, 
elected  by  the  people  of  a  like  number  of  districts,  and  are  elected  for 
the  same  length  of  term  and  the  same  eligibility  to  re-election  as  the 
Justices  of  the  Supreme  Court. 

In  addition  to  these  are  two  criminal  circuits,  embracing  a  few 
counties  each,  having  original  jurisdiction  in  all  criminal  matters 
originating  in  their  respective  circuits,  but  having  none  in  civil 
causes  of  action. 

The  above,  together  with  the  magistrates'  courts,  having  juris- 
diction over  small  sums  and  minor  offences,  and  the  Boards  of  County 
Commissioners,  having  supervision  over  the  direction  and  administra- 
tion of  county  affairs,  constitute  the  Judicial  system  of  North  Carolina. 


230  North  Carolina  and  its  REvSources. 


STATE  DEBT. 

The  State's  bonded  debt,  at  present,  stands  as  follows: 

New  4  per  cent  Consolidated  Bonds $3>347.75o 

6  per  cent.  N.  C.  R.  R.  Construction  Bonds. . .   2,720,000 

Total  bonded  debt 56,067,750 

The  interest  on  the  4  per  cent,  bonds  is  due  semi-annually,  in 
January  and  July,  and  is  paid  upon  presentation  of  coupons,  out  of 
special  taxes  levied  for  the  purpose. 

The  interest  on  the  6  per  cent,  bonds  is  provided  for  out  of  the 
rental  coming  into  the  State  Treasury  from  the  N.  C.  railroad. 

The   Amount  of  this  6  per  cent,  interest  per 

annum  is $163,200 

The  rental  coming  from  State's  stock  in  the  N. 

C.  R.  R.  lease  has  been 180,012 

For  six  years  it  is  to  be 210,014 

Then  for  93  years  finishing  out  the  99  yrs.  lease     225,015 

The  total  interest  then  will  be: 

On  4  per  cent,  bonds,  per  annum 133,910 

On  6  per  cent,  bonds,  per  annum 163,200 

Total  interest 1297,110 

The  State  owns  $136,750  of  the  4  per  cent,  bonds,  and  the  State 
Board  of  Education,  $143,250  of  the  4  per  cent,  and  $2,000  6  per 
cent,  bonds,  as  an  investment. 

There  are  old  refundable  bonds  still  outstanding,  which  will 
require  $270,910  new  4  per  cent,  bonds,  provided  they  shall  be  pre- 
sented before  January  i,  1897,  at  which  time  the  law  expires. 

The  6  per  cent,  bonded  debt,  $2,720,000  was  incurred  for  the 
construction  of  the  North  Carolina  railroad,  which  is  in  great  part 
owned  by  the  State.  The  income  from  the  dividends  realized  by  the 
road  is  not  only  sufficient  to  pay  the  interest  but  leaves  a  surplus 
which  is  regularly  funded  from  year  to  year,  the  aggregate  of  which 
will  extinguish  the  debt  at  the  maturity  of  the  bonds.  This  debt 
does  not  now  impose  nor  will  it  in  the  future  impose,  one  cent  of  tax- 
ation upon  the  people  of  the  State.  The  first  amount,  $3,347,750-, 
therefore  represents  the  entire  debt  for  which  the  property  of  the 
State  is  subject  to  be  taxed. 

The  total  valuation  of  real  and  personal  property  in  North  Caro- 
lina is,  according  to  the  auditor's  report  for  1895,  $259,564,449.99. 
But  the  valuation   of  property  in  this  State  is  known  to  be   much 


Geologic  Survey.  231 


below  its  real  value.  Taking,  however,  the  valuation  as  given  in  the 
auditor's  report,  it  will  be  seen  that  a  very  small  tax  is  required  to 
meet  the  annual  interest  on  the  4  per  cent,  bonds,  amounting  to  only 
$133,910  per  annum. 


GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 


The  North  Carolina  Geological  Survey,  as  at  present  organized, 
was  authorized  by  the  General  Assembly  in  1891,  and  in  May,  of  the 
same  year,  Professor  Joseph  A.  Holmes  was  commissioned  as  State 
Geologist.  The  object  of  the  survey  was  two  fold,  as  expressed  in 
the  act  creating  it:  "  the  thorough  examination  of  the  nature  and 
extent  of  the  mineral  and  timber  resources  of  the  State."  During  the 
first  years  after  his  appointment,  Professor  Holmes  devoted  his  ener- 
gies to  the  gathering  of  the  unpublished  information  of  former  Geol- 
ogists— Emmons  and  Kerr — many  of  the  results  from  both  having 
been  lost  by  not  being  published;  and  in  connection  with  this  a  large 
amount  of  exploration  was  found  necessary  before  entering  more 
directly  upon  the  special  new  work  contemplated  by  the  framers  of 
the  law.  After  this  reconnoisance  work,  he  associated  with  him  an 
able  corps  of  assistants,  and  has  issued  the  following  bulletins:  Iron 
Ores;  Gold  Deposits;  Road  Materials  and  Road  Construction;  The 
Forests,  Forest  I,ands  and  Forest  Products;  Forest  Fires;  Monazite 
and  Monazite  Deposits;  Corundum  and  Basic  Magnesian  Rocks,  and 
besides  these  he  has  in  preparation  or  in  press  the  following  additional 
Bulletins:  Building  Stone  in  North  Carolina;  Timber  Trees;  Water 
Powers;  Gold  Mining  in  North  Carolina;  Drinking  Water  Sup- 
plies; Clay  Deposits  and  Clay  Industries;  Mica  Deposits  and  Mica 
Mining;  Mineral  Waters;  lyistof  Elevations  and  an  Historical  Sketch 
of  North  Carolina  Scientific  and  Eco:iomic  Surveys,  and  Bibliography 
of  North  Carolina  Geology  and  Mineralogy.  These  Bulletins  are 
mailed  to  those  desiring  information  on  the  special  subjects  treated, 
on  receipt  of  the  postage;  address  the  State  Geologist,  at  Chapel  Hill, 
or  Raleigh,  N.  C.  The  progress  of  the  work  has  been  most  gratify- 
ing and  the  appreciation  of  its  usefulness  is  steadily  growing  among 
the  people  of  the  State. 


232  North  Caroi^ina  and  its  Resources. 


AGRICULTURAL   DEPARTMENT. 


North  Carolina  being  essentially  an  agricultural  State,  it  is  but 
natural  to  find  provision  in  the  State  Constituion  for  an  Agricultural 
Department,  which  is  fully  sustained  by  legislation  wholesome  and 
wise.  The  existence  of  the  department  amply  demonstrates  the 
breadth  and  determination  of  the  intelligence  of  the  State  to  elevate 
its  chief  industry  to  its  rightful  dignity  and  prominence  as  an 
avocation.  The  Department  has  a  peculiar  and  a  particular  work, 
a  work  devoted  to  the  promotion  of  the  interests  of  the  agricultural 
masses;  the  broadening  of  their  opportunities  and  guaranteeing  them 
protection  from  the  purchase  of  fraudulent  fertilizers.  The  laws 
governing  and  directing  the  State  Board  of  Agriculture  have  been 
changed  from  time  to  time,  bringing  it  in  closer  touch  with  the 
people  and  rendering  it  more  effective  in  the  discharge  of  its  duties 
relating  to  the  fertilizer  control,  the  analytical  part  of  which  is 
done  by  the  Experiment  Station  under  its  direction.  Its  equipment 
of  suitable  and  conveniently  arranged  buildings  is  ample;  its  revenue 
is  sufQcient  for  its  present  needs,  and  its  powers  abundant.  The 
Agricultural  Department  came  into  existence  with  the  sanction  of 
popular  sentiment  and  under  the  shield  and  protection  of  the  public 
law,  and  stands  not  only  as  a  monument  to  the  enlightened  spirit  of 
the  age,  but  a  beacon  light  of  hope  and  encouragement  to  that  great 
fundamental  interest  which,  more  than  all  others,  has  been  the 
victim  of  neglect,  the  least  consideration  of  statesmanship. 

The  Department  occupies  a  building  in  the  city  of  Raleigh, 
arranged  so  as  to  be  specially  adapted  to  its  many  uses  and,  in  the 
prosecution  of  the  work  assigned  to  it  it  has  done — and  this  will 
sufl&ce  to  illustrate  its  usefullness — what  is  expressed  in  the  words  of 
another:  "It  has  saved  to  the  State  thousands  of  dollars  annuall)^,  it 
has  induced  investments  of  large  amounts  in  the  mines,  forests  and 
agricultural  lands  of  the  State,  and  has  developed  the  phosphate  beds, 
the  oj^ster  grounds,  and  the  mineral  deposits  and  coal  fields  of  the 
State;  it  has  gathered  statistics  and  published  valuable  books  descrip- 
tive of  the  whole  State,  and  distributed  them  so  wisely  that  this  is 
among  the  best  advertised  States;  and  has,  as  its  last  and  greatest 
effort,  the  organization  of  the  successful  College  of  Agriculture  and 
Mechanic  Arts."  In  its  relation  to  the  former  it  has  been,  and  con- 
tinues to  be,  of  inestimable  value  to  the  farmer.  For  as  in  the 
advancement  of  agriculture  into  the  ranks  of  a  science,  so  was  there 
enormous  application  of  the  presumably  scientifically   compounded 


Agricultural  Department.  233 

artificial  fertilizers.  Here  was  opened  a  wide  and  gaping  door  to 
fraud,  which  tbe  Department  was  empowered  to  step  forward  and 
close.  This  has  been  done  so  vigorouslj^,  watchfully  and  eflfectively 
that  fraudulent  fertilizers  are  banished  from  the  market,  trust- 
worthy brands  have  replaced  them,  and  at  the  same  time  a  great 
reduction  in  the  cost  has  been  made. 

The  Board  of  Agriculture  has  been  the  most  potent  factor  in 
bringing  the  advantages  of  soil  and  climate  and  the  natural  resources 
of  the  State  to  the  notice  of  the  world.  It  has  been  faithful  and  true 
to  the  trust  imposed  by  law  and  it  has  led  in  every  move  looking  to 
the  development  of  the  State  and  the  prosperity  of  its  people. 

Mr.  S.  L.  Patterson  is  the  Commissioner  of  Agriculture  and 
Immigration,  and  Mr.  T.  K.  Bruner  is  the  Secretary  and  Auditor. 

The  Department  is  in  a  sense,  a  "bureau  of  information"  for  the 
State,  and  all  inquiries  addressed  to  the  Commissioner  touching  agri- 
culture, lands,  immigration,  natural  resources,  or  upon  any  subject 
inviting  to  investment  in  the  State,  will  be  promptly  answered  with 
the  best  information  at  hand. 


THE  STATE  MUSEUfl. 


The  State  Board  of  Agriculture  has  enlarged  and  perfected  the 
State  Museum.  This  was  made  possible  by  the  wise  provision  of  the 
Act  of  the  Assembly  in  1891  which  provided  that  all  nonperishable 
material  used  by  the  State  in  its  presentation  of  resources  at  the  great 
Columbian  Exposition  at  Chicago  in  1893,  should  revert  to  the  Board 
for  the  purpose  of  adding  to  its  then  small  collection.  Thus  has  the 
Board  had  the  first  substantial  aid  from  the  State  in  this  work,  and 
very  wiselj^  has  it  been  administered.  The  Board  also  has  the  hearty 
co-operation  of  the  State  Geological  Survey  in  the  museum  work, 
especially  in  those  divisions  devoted  to  metalliferous  ores,  minerals 
and  building  stones. 

Prof.  J.  A.  Holmes,  State  Geologist,  and  T.  K.  Bruner,  Secre- 
tary of  the  Board  of  Agriculture,  are  the  Custodians,  and  Mr.  H.  H. 
Brimley,  Naturalist,  is  the  Curator  in  charge  of  the  rooms. 

The  entire  second  floor  of  the  Agricultural  Building  is  now 
devoted  exclusively  to  this  purpose — there  is  a  Geological  room,  a 
Forestry  room,  an  Agricultural  room,  a  Natural  History  room  and 
a  room  devoted  to  photographic  representation  of  some  of  the  State's 
notable  features  of  scenery,  fisheries,  forests,  farms,  trucking,  naval 
stores  and  other  objects  and  industries. 


234  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

The  rooms  are  handsomely  furnished  with  oak  cases;  the  floors 
comfortably  carpeted  and  the  whole  steam-heated.  In  material  and 
arrangement,  there  is  no  collection  south  of  Washington  to  compare 
with  it.  The  contents  of  these  several  rooms  are  classified  and 
arranged  with  reference  to  giving  the  greatest  facility  to  the  student, 
sight-seer,  or  investor. 


AGRICULTURAL  EXPERiriENT  STATION. 


The  functions  of  the  Station  are  two-fold.  First,  as  a  fertilizer 
control  station,  and  second,  as  an  agricultural  experiment  station  in 
the  broadest  sense  of  the  word. 

It  is  under  the  control  of  the  Board  of  Agriculture.  It  was 
established  in  1877,  ^^'^  was  the  first  Experiment  Station  in  the 
Southern  States,  and  the  second  in  America.  Its  first  work  was  in 
the  control  of  the  fertilizer  trade  by  a  chemical  analysis  of  the  ferti- 
lizing ingredients  offered  for  sale,  thus  preventing  fraud  and  causing 
the  manufacturers  to  furnish  the  materials  they  claimed  to  sell .  It 
continues  to  occupy  this  position  for  the  protection  of  all  classes  of 
farmers,  and  it  is  safe  to  say  that  in  twenty  years  of  its  existence  it 
has  saved  the  farmers  of  the  State  many  millions  of  dollars  by  prevent- 
ing the  sale  of  such  adulterated  and  worthless  fertilizers.  In  the 
early  years  of  its  life,  chemical  investigations  were  its  main  work. 
Besides  analyzing  fertilizers,  it  also  examined  thousands  of  samples 
of  marls,  mucks,  soils,  cotton  seed  products,  phosphates,  waters, 
home-made  composts,  miscellaneous  fertilizing  ingredients  and  chemi- 
cals. It  has  spread  broadcast  hundreds  of  thousands  of  its  publica- 
tions, giving  information  on  almost  every  subject  connected  with 
agriculture.  It  thoroughly  examined  the  natural  phosphate  deposits 
of  the  State,  thepyrite  deposits,  the  by-products  of  the  rice  industry, 
of  cotton  and  tobacco  products,  also  the  jute  and  sugar  beet  industry, 
and  others  of  importance. 

Later  on  an  experimental  farm  was  added  to  the  agencies  at  work. 
Then  a  State  Weather  Service  was  organized  as  a  part  of  the  Station, 
and  various  benefits  were  secured  such  as  the  foreknowledge  of  frosts 
and  cold  waves,  and  miscellaneous  weather  conditions. 

There  are  various  divisions  of  the  Station,  in  which  are  trained 
experts.  Some  of  the  principal  subjects  studied  in  these  divisions  are 
here  mentioned: 

The  Chemical  Division  includes  all  chemical  workof  the  Station, 
such  as  are  embraced  in  the  fertilizer  control,  also  the  analysis  of  milk, 


0-- 


EXPERIMENT    STATION  —  FARMS    AND    LABORATORIES. 


Agricultural  Experiment  Station.  235 

butter,  food  and  fodders,  marls,  phosphates,  mucks,  soils,  chemicals, 
waters,  etc.  The  Agricultural  Divisions  embraces  work  done  in  the 
field,  stable,  and  dairy,  and  tests  varieties  of  wheat,  oats,  cotton  and 
corn,  grasses,  clovers  and  other  forage  plants.  The  value  of  fodders  and 
grasses,  ensilage,  cotton-seed  products  for  fattening  and  maintenance, 
and  the  digestibility  of  different  food  stuffs  are  determined  by  actual 
feeding  trials.  In  dairy  work,  various  implements  are  tested,  improved 
methods  tried,  with  the  view  of  extending  the  dairy  industry  through- 
out the  State,  recognizing  that  the  judicial  keeping  of  stock  is  the 
salvation  of  our  people.  The  Botanical  Division  tests  the  purity  and 
vitality  of  field  and  garden  seeds,  grasses  and  clovers,  identifies  plants 
and  ascertains  their  value,  examines  diseases  of  plants  and  investi- 
gates the  best  remedies;  disseminates  practical  information  upon  the 
best  agricultural  grasses,  and  upon  the  most  troublesome  weeds  and 
how  to  eradicate  them.  The  Entomological  Division  studies  the 
various  insect  pests  which  infest  the  field,  orchard  and  garden  crops, 
and  suggests  remedies  and  methods  of  extermination.  The  Horticul- 
tural Division  investigates  the  different  varieties  of  fruits  and  vege- 
tables, and  their  adaptability  to  our  soil  and  climates,  together  with 
the  best  methods  of  cultivation,  gathering  and  shipment  to  markets. 
It  originates  and  improves  new  and  promising  varieties  which  may 
become  valuable  to  the  State.  A  most  important  work  now  being  con- 
ducted is  in  connection  with  the  North  Carolina  State  Horticultural 
Society  at  Southern  Pines,  where  extensive  field  tests  with  fertilizers 
are  conducted  upon  various  fruit  and  vegetable  crops.  The  Poultry 
Division  seeks  to  aid  the  poultry  interests  of  the  State,  testing  different 
breeds  and  crosses  and  otherwise  to  cause  it  to  become  a  more  paying 
industry  than  at  present.  The  Meteorological  Division  is  organized 
as  the  State  Weather  Service,  operating  in  conjunction  with  the  U.  S. 
Weather  Bureau.  It  collects  meteorological  data,  and  thus  determines 
the  essential  features  of  the  State's  unexcelled  climatic  conditions. 
Telegrams  giving  forcasts  of  weather  for  the  following  day  are  distri- 
buted; also  cold  wave  and  frost  warnings  for  the  protection  of  fruit, 
tobacco  and  trucking  interests.  A  weekly  bulletin,  showing  the 
effect  of  the  weather  on  the  crops,  is  also  issued  during  the  growing 
season. 

The  Station  issues  numerous  publications.  The  following  are 
some  of  the  subjects  treated:  The  best  agricultural  grasses;  plant 
diseases  and  how  to  combat  them;  silos  and  ensilage;  some  enemies 
of  truck  and  garden  crops;  tobacco  curing;  some  experiments  in 
wheat  culture;  the  culture  of  orchard  and  garden  fruits;  some  legu- 
minous crops  and  their  economic  value;  the  chestnut  and  its  weevil^ 


236  North  Carolina  and  its  Re^sourceis. 

rational  stock  feeding;  propagation  of  flowering  bulbs;  seed  testing, 
its  uses  and  methods;  marls  and  phosphates;  trucking  in  the  South; 
tests  of  dairy  implements  and  practices;  tuberculosis  and  its  preven- 
tion; cotton-seed  meal  and  hulls  for  the  production  of  beef;  cultivation 
of  the  peach  tree;  hill-side  terraces  or  ditches;  types  of  tobacco  and 
their  analyses;  forage  grasses  and  hay -making. 

The  chemical  laboratories  and  the  city  ofl&ces  of  the  Station, 
occupy  the  first  floor  of  the  right  wing  of  the  Agricultural  Building, 
in  Raleigh.  In  this  building  also  are  located  the  botanical  and  ento- 
mological laboratory,  and  the  rooms  of  the  meteorological  division. 
Upon  the  roof  are  the  meteorological  instruments,  and  the  signal 
flags  to  disseminate  the  weather  forecasts.  The  experimental  farm, 
upon  which  are  the  barn,  stable,  dairy  house,  plant  house,  is  located 
one  and  one-half  miles  west  of  Raleigh,  adjoining  the  State  Fair 
Grounds. 

The  Director  of  the  Station  is  Dr.  H.  B.  Battle,  who  is  aided  by 
a  corps  of  fourteen,  comprising  the  Station  staff. 


RAILROAD  COMMISSION. 


By  an  act  of  the  General  Assembly  of  North  Carolina,  ratified 
March  5,  1891,  a  Railroad  Commission  was  created,  consisting  of  three 
members  to  be  elected  by  the  lyCgislature,  charged  with  the  general 
supervision  of  railroads,  steamboat  and  canal  companies,  and  express 
and  telegraph  companies  doing  business  in  North  Carolina;  restraining 
on  the  part  of  railroad  and  other  public  transportation  companies 
the  exaction  of  more  than  a  reasonable  compensation  for  the  carriage 
of  freight  or  passengers,  under  penalty  of  fine,  to  be  adjudged  suffi- 
cient under  conviction  for  extortion;  and  also  empowering  the  Com- 
mission with  authority  to  forbid  such  companies  to  give  undue  prefer- 
ence to  patrons  of  their  lines,  and  authorizing  it  to  make  rates  for  freight 
and  passenger  tariffs,  forbidding  unjust  discriminations,  the  giving  of 
rebates  and  the  charging  of  more  for  a  shorter  than  a  longer  distance. 
Empowering  it  to  approve  special  excursion  rates,  empowering  it  to  fix 
the  charges  for  the  transportation  of  passengers  and  freight,  to  make 
schedules  that  shall  meet  the  general  public  convenience,  and  take 
such  other  steps  and  do  such  other  acts  as  shall  conduce  to  the  pro- 
tection of  the  business  and  traveling  public  from  oppression  and 
injustice,  allegations  of  which  induced  the  creation  of  the  Commis- 


Bureau  of  IvAbor  Statistics.  237 

sion.  The  Commission  is  invested  with  judicial  powers;  authorized 
to  hear  and  decide  complaints,  to  hear  and  adjust  the  differences 
between  railroads.  The  same  principles  that  govern  railroad  and 
other  transportation  management  are  made  to  apply  also  to  telegraph 
and  express  companies. 

The  Commission  consists  at  present  of  J.  W.  Wilson,  Chairman; 
S.  O.  Wilson  and  E.  C.  Beddingfield,  associate  Commissioners  and 
H.  C  Brown,  Secretary.     Its  sittings  are  held  in  Raleigh. 


BUREAU  OF  LABOR  STATISTICS. 


The  Bureau  of  Labor  Statistics  was  established  by  the  I^egisla- 
ture  of  1887,  and  its  first  Commissioner  was  Hon.  W.  N.  Jones,  who 
was  succeeded  two  years  later  by  Hon.  J.  C.  Scarborough,  who  held 
the  office  until  1892,  when  he  was  elected  State  Superintendent  of 
Public  Instruction.  Govenor  Carr,  who  has  ever  proved  himself  the 
friend  of  the  laboring  classes,  appointed  as  Commissioner  Mr.  B.  R. 
lyacy,  a  representative  labor  man  who,  as  Chairman  of  the  Locomotive 
Engineers  of  the  S.  A.  L.  system  between  Portsmouth,  Va.,  and 
Atlanta  Ga.,  had,  by  his  wise  and  conservative  course,  succeeded  in 
doing  what  was  considered  almost  an  impossibility,  that  was,  gained 
the  respect  and  confidence  of  both  the  railroad  officials  and  the  men 
whom  he  represented.  His  nearness  to,  and  his  intimate  knowl- 
edge of  the  wants  of  the  people  for  whom  the  office  was  created  gave 
new  life  to  the  work. 

The  purpose  for  which  the  Bureau  was  established  is  to  collect 
information  upon  the  subject  of  labor,  its  relation  to  capital,  the 
hours  of  labor,  the  earnings  of  laboring  men  and  women,  and  their 
educational,  moral  and  financial  condition.  This  class  of  investiga- 
tion has  received  a  great  deal  of  attention  during  the  last  three 
years,  and  the  importance  of  accurate  statistics  on  this  subject  is 
beginning  to  be  felt  as  never  before.  This  is  shown  by  the  fact  that 
thirty-four  of  the  forty-eight  States  of  the  Union  have  established 
labor  bureaus. 

The  Bureau  is  fast  making  friends  among  the  employers  as  well 
as  the  employees  of  the  State,  for  they  are  beginning  to  realize  the 
importance  of  the  work.  Information  is  furnished  more  promptly 
and  each  succeeding  report  is  more  accurate  and  complete.  The 
Bureau,  which  was  long  an  experiment,  is  now  an  established  fact. 


238  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

It  is  not  only  valued  by  the  wage-earners,  who  feel  that  it  is  pecu- 
liarly their  property,  but  the  ministers  and  educators  are  studying 
the  reports  and  are  virtually  sustaining  it  with  their  moral  support. 
It  is  doing  great  good  in  creating  a  healthy  sentiment  between 
employers  and  employees,  and  as  its  objects,  workings  and  what  it  is 
accomplishing  become  better  known  it  is  winning  friends  of  all 
patriotic  citizens. 

As  the  State  is  rapidly  becoming  a  manufacturing  center  and 
factories  are  being  built  every  day,  the  work  of  the  Bureau  is 
increasing  and  the  statistics  gathered  and  compiled  in  its  reports  are 
eagerly  sought  after,  not  only  in  the  United  States  but  in  foreign 
countries.  To  such  an  extent  has  the  demand  for  the  reports  of  the 
Bureau  increased,  that  it  has  been  necessary  to  publish  a  larger 
number  each  year,  and  even  then  one  or  two  numbers  have  been 
exhausted. 

It  is  gratifying  as  it  is  just,  to  say  that  in  no  State  in  the  Union 
are  there  more  cordial  relations  existing  between  capital  and  labor 
than  in  North  Carolina.  The  more  serious  labor  troubles  such  as 
strikes  and  boycots,  do  not  exist.  There  is  a  condition  of  general 
contentment  among  the  masses  of  the  people,  including  both  races. 


PUBLIC  CHARITIES. 


The  Constitution  prescribes  that  the  charitable  and  penal  institu- 
tions of  North  Carolina,  including  all  State  institutions  for  benevolent 
or  correctional  purposes,  and  all  county  and  municipal  jails,  work- 
houses and  "homes"  shall  be  under  the  supervision  of  the  Board  of 
Public  Charities,  elected  by  the  General  Assembly,  or  appointed  by 
the  Executive  in  case  of  failure  to  elect,  for  the  term  of  five  years. 
The  present  Board  consists  of  Dr.  Charles  Duffy,  Chairman,  Craven 
county;  Lawrence  J.  Haughton,  Chatham;  Wesley  N.  Jones,  Wake; 
Wm.  A.  Blair,  Forsyth;  S.  W.  Reid,  Mecklenburg;  with  C.  B. 
Denson,  Wake,  Secretary.  The  members  of  the  Board  receive  no 
salary,  and  their  labors  have  been  effectual  in  systematizing  the  work 
of  the  State,  and  elevating  the  standard  of  the  care  and  treatment  of 
the  prisoners  and  the  poor  in  the  several  county  institutions.  In  this 
work  the  leading  authorities  on  such  subjects  in  this  country  have 
esteemed  North  Carolina  as  a  "pioneer"  in  the  south.  Complete 
information  in  reference  to  these  subjects  maybe  found  in  the  reports 
of  the  Board,  published  annually.     In  these  the  needs  of  the  institu- 


Public  Charities.  239 


tions  are  presented  to  the  General  Assembly,  and  neglect  on  the  part 
of  officials  is  reported  to  the  Judge  and  Solicitor  on  service  in  the 
county  of  its  occurrence. 

INSANE  ASYLUn, 

was  one  of  the  institutions  that  honored  the  labors  of  the  lamented 
Miss  D.  ly.  Dix.  It  was  opened  for  patients  in  February,  1856, 
having  been  seven  years  in  construction.  The  original  design  was 
that  of  a  cross,  with  main  building  one  hundred  and  sixteen  feet 
long,  eighty  feet  eight  inches  wide  and  eighty-six  feet  two  inches 
from  first  floor  to  top  of  dome,  an  arcade  eighty  feet  eight  inches  long, 
and  twenty-six  feet  four  inches  wide.  The  wings  are  each  three 
hundred  and  twenty-five  feet  long,  forty  feet  eight  inches  wide  and 
fifty  feet  high,  at  right  angles. 

This  was  intended  for  two  hundred  and  twenty-four  patients, 
but  by  the  use  of  an  associated  dormitory  and  the  placing  of  two 
patients  in  a  certain  number  of  rooms,  three  hundred  patients  were 
cared  for. 

On  the  29th  of  August,  1894,  an  infirmary  building  for  female 
patients,  with  associate  dining  room  attached,  was  opened,  furnishing 
accommodations  at  present  for  three  hundred  and  eighty-two.  This 
is  connected  by  a  covered  corridor  thirty-one  and  a  half  feet  long  with 
the  south  wing,  and  has  a  front  section  three  stories  high,  sixty  feet 
by  forty,  with  spacious  verandas.  There  are  one  hundred  and  eighty 
acres  in  cultivation;  value  of  farm  products  $9,145;  appropriation  for 
support  for  1896  was  $65,245.  The  daily  average  of  patients  for 
1895  was  three  hundred  and  thirty-six,  and  the  percentage  of  cures 
upon  admissions  was  forty -six.  The  standard  of  this  institution  has 
always  been  high  and  notable  for  success.  At  one  period  under  Dr. 
Eugene  Grissom,  the  percentage  of  cures  reached  sixty-eight.  It  is 
now  under  the  skillfull  care  of  Dr.  George  L.  Kirb3\  During  the 
past  year  a  reservoir  of  four  hundred  thousand  gallons  of  water  has 
been  added. 

STATE   HOSPITAL. 

This  is  the  model  institution  for  the  insane  south  of  the  Potomac 
river,  and  was  authorized  by  the  I^egislature  in  1875,  and  built  by 
Nereus  Mendenhall,  M.  D.,  Eugene  Grissom,  M.  D.,  M.  Whitehead, 
M.  D.,  Col.  T.  G.  Walton,  and  Capt.  C.  B.  Denson,  Commissioners. 
It  was  not  finally  completed  until  1886,  and  is  on  the  linear  plan, 
having  a  greater  frontage  than  the  Capitol  at  Washington.  About 
600  acres  belong  to  the  institution.     During  1895  there  were  under 


240  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

treatment  733;  admissions  191,  and  recoveries  77,  40  per  cent,  of 
admissions.  All  modern  improvements  are  to  be  found  here,  in  every 
department  of  its  operation,  and  the  farm  management  is  a  feature 
unexcelled  in  the  Union.  It  is  situated  on  a  commanding  eminence 
southeast  of  Morgantou.  The  late  Samuel  Sloan,  Architect  of  the 
Philadelphia  Centennial  buildings,  was  its  designer,  and  Dr.  Kirk- 
bride,  the  greatest  authority  of  his  day,  pronounced  it  the  most  per- 
fect institution  of  its  kind  that  human  ingenuity  could  construct 
within  the  limits  of  its  cost.  It  has  been  under  the  charge  of  Dr.  P. 
L.  Murphy  as  Superintendent  from  the  beginning,  and  he  has  brought 
it  to  the  present  stage  of  efficiency.  Its  farm  products  reach  nearly 
$20,000,  with  30,000  pounds  of  pork  in  addition.  An  excellent  fire 
department  is  maintained  by  the  employees.  There  has  been  added 
recently  a  training  school  for  nurses,  which  bids  fair  to  satisfy  a  great 
need  in  the  State. 

EASTERN  HOSPITAL. 

This  asylum,  for  the  colored  insane,  is  the  first  ever  designed  and 
built  for  that  class  in  the  world,  and  was  opened  August  ist,  1880. 
The  plan  includes  a  center  building  for  administration  and  officers' 
quarters,  and  wings  for  patients.  It  is  supplied  with  water  by  an 
artesian  well  570  feet  deep,  and  from  lyittle  river;  is  heated,  ventilated 
sewered,  &c.,  by  approved  modern  apparatus,  and  supplied  with  elec- 
tric lights.  The  rooms  are  10x7,  with  13  feet  pitch.  On  account  of 
the  rapidly  increasing  number  of  the  insane  of  the  colored  population, 
the  hospital  has  been  enlarged  twice  by  the  addition  of  three  story 
wings  at  each  end.  Its  original  capacity  was  for  233  patients.  In 
1895  there  were  treated  427,  of  which  number  40  were  cured,  being 
33  per  cent,  of  120  admitted  during  the  year.  About  125  acres  are  in 
cultivation.  Dr.  J.  F,  Miller  adds  to  his  medical  accomplishments 
such  practical  ability  as  an  architect,  that  he  has  made  many  improve- 
ments at  small  expenditure.  A  very  large  proportion  of  the  inmates 
are  happily  employed  at  work,  and  the  modern  congregate  dining 
rooms  are  used  with  perfect  satisfaction.  The  institution  is  a  short 
distance  west  of  Goldsboro . 

OTHER  PROVISION  FOR  THE  INSANE. 

There  are  certain  patients  that  have  been  returned  from  the 
institutions  to  the  counties,  as  not  needing  hospital  treatment  as 
much  as  acute  or  violent  cases,  because  they  are  harmless  and  incur- 
able. These,  in  the  larger  counties  especially,  have  been  provided 
for  in  county  asylums  connected  with  the  county  "Homes"  for   the 


Public  Charities.  241 


aged  and  infirm.  Aided  by  the  steady  and  sympathetic  inspection  of 
the  county  board  of  visitors,  consisting  of  citizens  volunteering,  upon 
request,  for  this  duty,  and  reporting  regularly  to  the  Board  of  Public 
Charities,  and  under  the  medical  charge  of  the  County  Superintendent 
of  Health,  these  institutions  have  been  much  improved. 

INSTITUTE  FOR  THE  BLIND. 

The  act  for  its  establishment  was  passed  January  12,  1845;  school 
opened  May  ist  of  the  same  year,  but  the  building  nov/  occupied  was 
not  completed  until  January,  1849.  Main  building  of  four  stories, 
with  two  wings  at  right  angles,  three  stories  each.  Scholastic  course 
in  full  with  library  of  16,500  volumes,  trades  are  also  taught,  and  music 
and  other  accomplishments  for  the  girls.  Enlarged  at  several  periods 
and  finally  had  accommodations  for  250  pupils.  But  it  was  deemed 
best  to  separate  the  deaf  and  dumb  from  the  blind,  and  on  October  ist, 
1894,  the  former  class  was  transferred  to  the  North  Carolina  School 
for  the  Deaf  and  Dumb,  at  Morganton.  The  old  institution  in  Raleigh 
was  thoroughly  repaired  and  improved,  and  devoted  altogether  to  the 
blind,  having  a  capacity  of  155  of  that  class.  It  is  doing  good  work, 
and  has  at  this  time  a  remarkable  orchestra  of  thirty  musicians,  string 
and  brass,  among  its  pupils.  W.  J.  Young,  Esq.,  is  principal.  It  is 
located  on  one  of  the  squares  reserved  by  the  State  when  the  Capital 
City  was  laid  out.  A  kindergarten  department  has  been  a  recent  and 
valuable  addition. 

INSTITUTE  FOR  COLORED  DEAF,  DUMB  AND  BLIND. 

Is  situated  in  the  southeastern  part  of  Raleigh,  and  erected  in 
1875,  being  the  first  in  the  world  for  the  colored  race.  Has  three 
stories,  with  parlor,  chapel,  music  room,  infirmary,  recitation  rooms, 
dormitories,  &c.  Heated  by  steam,  lighted  by  gas.  Has  good  water 
supply.  In  the  summer  of  1895  a  new  three  story  wing  with  hand- 
some cupola  was  built  on  the  south  side.  Built  originally  for  fort}.' 
inmates,  it  now  accommodates  65  boys  and  55  girls.  Proposals  have 
been  advertised  for  the  building  of  a  similar  addition  on  the  north 
side.  Shoemaking,  chair  and  mattress  making,  cane  seating  and 
dressmaking  are  taught,  in  addition  to  the  regular  scholastic  work.  A 
new  workshop  is  in  contemplation. 

SCHOOL  FOR  DEAF  AND  DUMB. 

This  admirable  new  institution  under  the  charge  of  Superintend- 
ent E.  McK.  Goodwin,  has  already  been  alluded  to.     The  act  for  its 

16 


242  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

creation  was  passed  in  1891,  and  its  Board  organized  April  23rd, 
1892.  The  building  is  located  upon  a  tract  of  213  acres  near  Morgan- 
ton.  It  is  of  three  stories  above  the  basement  in  the  form  of  a  capital 
Roman  T,  and  is  256  feet  long  with  162  feet  from  front  through  center 
building  and  dining  room.  Heated  by  steam  and  lighted  by  elec- 
tricity, with  an  artesian  water  system  and  sewerage,  the  sanitary  con- 
di  Lions  are  perfect.  Accommodations  for  250;  there  are  150  rooms. 
This  is  known  to  be  one  of  the  best  buildings  in  America  for  the  deaf 
and  dumb.  Carpentry,  cabinet-making,  shoemaking,  printing,  free- 
hand and  industrial  art,  mattress  making,  sewing,  practical  farming, 
gardening,  &c.,  are  the  divisions  of  the  industrial  department.  There 
were  at  the  last  report  161  pupils.  The  deaf  mutes  at  this  institution 
print  the  "Kelly  Messenger,"  which  is  a  creditable  specimen  of  the 
printer's  art. 

SOLDIERS'   HOHE. 

In  October,  1889,  the  Confederate  Veteran  Association  of  North 
Carolina  adopted  a  resolution  that  a  home  for  helpless  and  disabled 
veterans  was  a  necessity,  and  instructed  the  secretary  (at  that  time 
Mr.  W.  C.  Stronach)  to  open  a  book  for  subscriptions.  By  August 
29th,  1890,  the  amount  of  $3,000  was  thus  secured.  The  executive 
committee  then  authorized  the  secretary  to  rent  a  building,  which 
was  soon  filled.  The  I^egislature,  February  i6th,  1891,  appropriated 
$3,000  per  annum,  and  gave  the  Camp  Russell  property  of  five  acres. 
The  appropriation  is  now  about  $8, 500,  with  which  about  one  hundred 
veterans  are  maintained  with  the  strictest  economy.  This  would  be 
impracticable  but  for  the  benevolence  of  private  parties,  and  the  gen- 
erosity of  the  railroads  in  transporting  the  veterans  to  their  homes, 
there  being  an  average  per  cent,  daily  of  about  sixt3''-five.  The  State 
owes  a  debt  of  gratitude  to  Mr.  W.  C.  Stronach,  chairman  of  the 
executive  committee  of  the  Board  of  Managers,  v/ho  is  always  adding 
to  the  comfort  and  welfare  of  the  disabled  heroes. 

OXFORD  ORPHAN  ASYLUM. 

This  orphanage  was  opened  in  1872  by  the  Grand  I^odge  of 
Masons  of  North  Carolina,  at  the  annual  communication,  by  resolu- 
tion to  change  St.  John's  College,  to  Oxford  Orphan  Asylum.  In 
1873  the  State  made  an  annual  appropriation  of  $5,000,  increased  in 
1885  to  $r 0,000,  which  is  the  present  amount.  The  children  are  in 
school  two-thirds  of  their  time,  and  work  one-third.  The  Grand 
Lodge  contributes  $3,500  annually,  other  contributions  about  $1,800 
and  asylum  earnings,  $3,250,  making  a  total  of  about  $18,500.    It  has 


Public  Charities.  243 


220  inmates,  equally  divided  as  to  sex.  Children  received  from  6  to 
14  years  of  age.  There  are  253  acres  of  land,  one-half  in  cultivation. 
Mr.  N.  W.  lyawrence.  Superintendent,  is  steadily  improving  the  insti- 
tution. Homes  are  procured  for  the  children  as  they  become  fitted 
for  self-support. 

COLORED  ORPHAN  ASYLUfl. 

This  is  also  in  Oxford,  and  was  opened  in  the  year  1886.  The 
buildings  can  accommodate  one  hundred  and  fifty.  The  average 
daily  number  in  1895,  was  seventy-five.  Of  these  sixty-three  are 
without  father  and  mother.  Receipts,  chiefly  from  the  State,  were  a 
little  over  $4,000.  The  Legislature  of  1895,  doubled  the  former 
appropriation.  Rev.  Robt.  Shepard,  (colored),  is  the  Superintendent, 
and  is  receiving  increased  contributions,  through  the  confidence  of 
the  people  in  his  management. 

STATE  PENITENTIARY. 

The  main  building  is  six  hundred  and  twenty-five  feet  long,  by 
fifty-eight  and  one-half  in  width,  with  administrative  buildings  in 
front  eighty-four  by  seventy  feet  and  domestic  thirty-six  by  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty-eight  feet.  The  wings  are  two  and  one-half  stories, 
administrative  four.  Will  contain  eight  hundred  cells,  five  by  eight 
feet,  each  cell  having  independent  ventilating  flues  running  entire 
height,  and  ending  in  large  air  chamber,  with  globe  ventilator,  in 
which  is  a  coil  of  steam  pipe  to  insure  constant  ventilation.  Stone 
foundation  up  to  four  feet  above  ground  line;  heavy  brick  wall; 
covered  with  slate.  Has  a  reservoir  of  3,000,000  gallons  capacity, 
with  two  steam  pumps.  Females  in  separate  building.  The  discipline 
is  mild  but  firm.  Has  an  excellent  infirmary  and  maintains  a  Sunday 
School  taught  by  eminent  citizens  of  Raleigh;  religious  services  five 
times  a  month. 

Confinement  in  the  penitentiary  proper  is  only  enforced  upon 
those  sentenced  for  the  highest  crimes;  it  contains,  however,  chronic 
invalids  sent  to  the  central  hospital.  Of  the  total  number  under 
control,  1,237,  there  are  two  hundred  and  seventy-one  at  Raleigh. 
The  others  are  distributed  upon  five  farms,  embracing  15,000  acres,  in 
different  sections  of  the  State,  under  guard  and  controlled  by  State 
oflScers  (not  the  lease  system).  The  great  majority,  eighty  per  cent. 
being  colored,  are  at  work  in  the  employment  they  have  been  accus- 
tomed to.  The  value  of  their  products  amounts  to  about  $200,000 
annually,  and  renders  the  institution  nearly  absolutely  self-support- 


244  North  Caroi^ina  and  its  Resources. 

ing.  Indeed,  it  is  probable  that  a  surplus  may  be  made  for  the  State 
Treasury,  with  a  return  to  normal  prices  for  agricultural  products. 
While  the  main  operations  are  in  the  raising  of  all  kinds  of  agricultural 
products  and  live  stock,  and  the  digging  of  phosphate  rock,  the  mechan- 
ical work  supplies  all  the  shoes  and  the  clothing,  but  not  the  cloth;  also 
harness  and  wagons,  wheelbarrows,  and  wood  and  iron  work  used  by 
the  convicts,  and  laundry  work  for  the  institution  and  others.  Each 
farm  has  a  superior  and  a  physician.  The  health  of  the  convicts  is 
better  than  under  any  former  system.  The  immense  stone  wall,  at 
one  place  sixty  feet  high  from  the  valley  below,  is  of  solid  granite, 
built  by  the  convicts,  as  was  the  entire  structure. 
Hon.  A.  I/cazar,  is  General  Manager. 


ORPHANAGES  AND  HOSPITALS. 


There  are  many  institutions  of  this  character  supported  by 
churches,  societies  and  private  citizens,  and  not  under  the  immediate 
charge  of  the  State  authorities.     Among  these  are  the 

Thomasvii,i,E  Orphanage. 

Rev.  J.  B.  Boon,  Superintendent.  Opened  November  nth,  1885, 
at  Thomasville,  has  three  hundred  and  six  acres  of  land,  and  twenty 
buildings  provides  for  one  hundred  and  fifty  to  two  hundred  orphans, 
supported  chiefly  by  the  Baptist  Church. 

The  Thompson  Orphanage. 

Rev.  B.  A.  Osborne,  Superintendent,  organized  about  1883. 
Situated  at  Charlotte.  Has  eighty  acres  of  land,  and  cares  for  about 
sixty  children.  Is  supported  by  voluntary  contributions  mainly  by 
Episcopalians. 

The  Orphans'  Home. 

Situated  at  Barium  Springs,  Iredell  county,  and  under  the  charge 
of  Rev.  R.  W.  Boyd,  Superintendent,  who  is  the  representative  of  a 
Board,  chosen  by  the  Synod  of  North  Carolina  (Presbyterian).  Has 
property  worth  $15,000.  The  institution  began  operations  only  a 
few  years  ago,  and  in  1895  had  seventy-two  children. 


Orphanages  and  Hospitals.  245 

Odd  Fellows'  Orphan  Home. 

Is  located  at  Goldsboro,  and  liberally  supported  by  that  benevo- 
lent order.  It  began  operations  in  May,  1892.  Had  twenty-eight  in 
1895  with  the  number  gradually  increasing;  Mr.  J.  T.  Beams, 
Superintendent.  In  addition  to  the  original  structures,  a  fine 
modern  building  has  just  been  added,  to  more  completely  fulfill  its 
design. 

The  Friends'  Orphanage. 

Is  near  High  Point,  and  was  organized  in  1895.  While  this 
latest  of  the  family  of  orphanages  in  North  Carolina  is  only  in  its 
infancy,  it  is  doing  most  effective  work.  Dr.  J.  M.  Tomlinson  of 
Archdale,  is  the  Chairman  of  the  Friends'  Committee  having  its 
interest  in  charge.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  this  good  work  will 
grow  and  multiply. 

The  Childrens'  Home, 

located  at  Asheville,  was  established  in  March,  1890.  This  was 
organized  to  meet  the  needs  of  the  county  of  Buncombe,  and  its 
history  renders  it  a  model  for  the  State.  At  last  report  (October 
1895)  it  was  caring  for  thirty-one  children,  and  had  had  charge  of  one- 
hundred  and  fifty-seven  children  since  its  organization,  many  of 
whom  had  been  placed  in  good  homes. 

The  Mission  Hospital, 

founded  in  1885  and  managed  by  a  committee  of  ladies  from  the 
Episcopal,  Baptist,  Methodist  and  Presbyterian  ladies  of  Asheville. 
Supported  by  voluntary  contributions  and  a  small  sum  from  the 
county.     Cares  for  about  one  hundred  patients  during  the  year. 

Wilmington  City  Hospital. 

Organized  in  1881,  and  its  support  is  given,  three-fifths  from  the 
county  and  two-fifths  from  the  city.  Dr.  W.  W.  Love,  is  Superinten- 
dent. In  1894,  it  had  two  hundred  and  two  charity  patients,  sixty- 
eight  pay;  total  two  hundred  and  seventy.  Is  admirably  situated 
near  the  city  of  Wilmington. 

St.  Peter's  Hospital, 

opened  January  ist,  1876,  in  the  city  of  Charlotte.  Managers  are 
nine  female  communicants  of  St.  Peter's  (Episcopal)  Church.  Mrs. 
Jane  Wilkes,  Secretary.  Cares  for  eighty  patients  annually.  Main- 
tained by  voluntary  subscriptions. 


246  North  Caroi^ina  and  its  Resources. 

The  Good  Samaritan  Hospitai, 
is  in  the  same  city.     This  has  a  handsome  brick  building  erected  by 
the  efforts  of  the  same  noble    women,  and  is    devoted  to  colored 
patients,  being  a  part  of  the  mission  work  of  St.  Peter's  Church. 

The  Watts'  Hospitai.. 
This  is  the  gift  of  Mr.  George  W.  Watts,  of  Durham,  to  the  town 
of  his  residence.  It  was  built  and  equipped  at  a  cost  of  $30,000,  and 
he  endows  it  with  $20,000  more,  to  insure  its  successful  working. 
The  administration  building  is  38x36  feet;  two  stories  and  basement; 
male  and  female  pavilions,  31x62  feet  and  surgical  building  17x27 
feet.  It  is  fitted  with  all  modern  conveniences,  has  twenty-two  beds 
and  is  surrounded  by  five  acres  of  grounds.  The  physicians  give  their 
services  without  charge,  and  the  citizens  will  increase  the  endow- 
ment fund. 

Rex  Hospital. 

This  institution  is  located  in  Raleigh,  and  was  established  by  a 
fund  left  by  a  long  deceased  citizen.  The  hospital  maintained  for  a 
number  of  years  by  St.  John's  Guild,  and  located  at  the  south  end  of 
Salisbury  street,  was  purchased  in  1893,  and  after  improving  the  same 
by  several  thousand  dollars  worth  of  repairs  and  additions,  and  the 
erection  of  a  building  for  colored  patients,  the  whole  was  opened  as 
Rex  Hospital  May  15th,  1894.  In  the  first  two  years  it  has  admitted 
three  hundred  and  fifty-six  patients,  including  one  hundred  and  six 
white  males,  102  white  females;  seventy -five  colored  males  and 
seventy -five  colored  females.  To  this  has  been  recently  added  by 
private  benevolence,  a  well  arranged  ward  for  sick  children.  The 
city  contributes  annually  $2,000  to  the  support  of  the  hospital.  Col. 
Benehan  Cameron  has  recently  given  a  fund  as  an  endowment  for  the 
"P.  C.  Cameron  Memorial  Cot,"  R.  H.  Battle,  Esq.,  is  chairman 
of  the  board  of  Trustees. 

It  may  justly  be  said  no  department  of  the  State  Government  is 
more  liberally  supported  than  her  charities,  which  have  become  the 
pride  of  the  State.  And  private  efforts  are  freely  given  whenever  a 
necessity  is  shown  to  exist,  for  the  relief  of  suffering  or  misfortune. 


PUBLIC  BUILDINGS 


The  State  Capitol  is  a  massive  granite  structure,  in  plain  but 
classic  style,  and  for  many  years  was  regarded  as  the  finest  of  the 
State  Capitols.    It  is  situated  in  a  square  of  four  acres,  laid  off  in  broad 


PUBI.IC  Buildings.  247 


and  convenient  walks,  shaded  in  part  by  native  oaks,  sr^rvivors  of  the 
original  forests,  and  it  is  adorned  with  flowers  and  shrubbery.  In  the 
grounds  are  a  handsome  bronze  statute  of  Washington  and  a  monu- 
ment to  the  Confederate  dead,  about  75  feet  high,  adorned  with  bronze 
figures.  The  building  contains  the  Legislative  halls,  the  Executive 
offices,  the  Treasury  Department,  the  Auditor's  office,  those  of  the 
Secretary  of  State,  the  rooms  of  the  keeper  of  the  Capitol,  Legislative 
Committee  rooms  and  other  needed  apartments,  is  lighted  both  by 
gas  and  electricity,  is  well  ventilated,  and  in  winter  is  heated  by 
steam.  The  whole  is  surrounded  by  an  iron  fence  based  upon  a 
granite  foundation. 

The  Governor's  Mansion  is  situated  in  the  northeastern  part  of 
Raleigh,  on  one  of  the  public  squares — Burke.  It  is  a  three  story 
brick  structure,  elegant  in  design,  and  complete  in  all  its  details, 
pleasing  in  exterior,  elegant,  convenient  and  comfortable  in  the 
interior.  It  is  trimmed  with  native  brownstone  and  marble,  and  is 
surrounded  by  a  beautiful  lawn,  which  is  adorned  with  small 
shrubbery. 

The  Supreme  Court  Building  is  situated  on  the  north  side  of 
Edenton  street,  adjoinining  the  Agricultural  Building  and  fronting 
Capitol  square.  It  has  a  plain  exterior,  but  is  well  built  and  arranged 
for  its  various  uses.  It  is  three  stories  high  and  contains  the  Supreme 
Court  room,  consulting  rooms,  the  Attorney  General's  office,  the  office 
of  the  Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction,  the  office  of  the  Com- 
missioner of  Labor,  the  Supreme  Court  Library,  which  contains, 
besides  a  large  and  valuable  collection  of  law  volumes,  portraits  of 
many  of  the  members  of  the  Court  from  its  organization  to  the  present 
time;  and  also  the  State  Library  of  46,000  volumes,  and  portaits  of 
eminent  North  Carolinians,  prominent  in  the  State  annals,  in  civil, 
professional,  military  and  naval  life. 

The  other  public  buildings  have  been  sufficiently  alluded  to  under 
their  appropriate  heads. 


EDUCATION. 


"The  good  name,  as  well  as  the  substantial  prosperity  of  a 
State,  is  indissolubly  associated  with,  and  dependent  upon,  the  initial 
direction  given  to  the  minds  of  the  young.  Care  on  the  one  hand, 
neglect  on  the  other,  bring  forth  responsive  fruit,  to  tell  in  after  years 
in  the  grateful  form  of  public  virtue  and  enlightment,  or  in  the 
melancholy  spectacle  of  public  vice  or  popular  ignorance  and  abase- 


248  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

ment.  The  wisdom  of  statesmanship  is  never  so  wisely  directed  as 
when  it  aims  to  establish  the  one  and  guard  against  the  other.  And 
such  statesmanship  knows  that  it  must  act  always  by  anticipation; 
knows  that  it  is  dealing  with  functions  in  a  state  of  constant  change 
and  progression;  that  it  is  moulding  and  shaping  that  which,  though 
incorporeal  and  intangible,  bears  direct  analogy  to  that  which  is  cor- 
poreal and  material,  in  that  it  is  impressible  to  good  or  to  evil,  retains 
the  shape  and  form  to  which  it  is  moulded,  and,  in  its  matured  powers, 
presents  the  perfection  of  the  wise  directing  hand,  or  the  distortion  of 
neglect  or  of  wicked  design. 

The  solicitude  of  our  Revolutionary  fathers  was  never  allayed, 
even  amid  the  clash  of  arms  and  the  uncertainties  of  a  pending  des- 
perate strife,  until  they  have  given  expression  in  their  tentative 
efforts  in  the  formation  of  a  new  government  to  the  purpose  which 
was  uppermost  in  their  minds.  Never  in  human  history  did  a  solemn 
determination  to  discharge  a  duty,  apparently  altogether  irrelevant  to 
the  cause  they  then  had  in  hand — the  conduct  of  war  and  the  achieve- 
ment of  liberty — have  expression  so  noble,  so  wise,  so  disinterested. 
I/iberty  might  be  won,  but  at  ruinous  cost,  but  whatever  befell, 
posterity  must  be  educated.  That  was  a  sacred  charge  not  to  be 
neglected  or  evaded.  It  was  the  education  of  the  leaders  in  the 
cause  of  liberty  that  had  taught  the  value  of  liberty;  it  was  essential 
that  that  liberty  when  assured  should  be  preserved  by  the  same  means 
that  had  demonstrated  its  value.  Therefore,  posterity  must  be  edu- 
cated; and  while  the  enemy  was  still  thundering  at  the  gates,  and 
while  the  roar  of  the  battle  was  still  deafening  the  startled  ear, 
calmly,  unmoved  by  the  awful  commotion,  brave  as  to  their  present, 
confident  as  to  their  future,  they  decreed  in  their  first  Constitution 
"  that  a  school  or  schools  should  be  established  by  the  lyCgislature  for 
the  convenient  instruction  of  youth,  with  such  salaries  to  the  masters, 
paid  by  the  public,  as  may  enable  them  to  instruct  at  low  prices;  and 
all  useful  learning  shall  be  encouraged  in  one  or  more  universities." 

Such  was  the  beginning  of  our  school  system;  such  was  the 
mandatory  obligation  and  formation  of  the  State  University. 

Public  financial  confusion,  general  private  pecuniary  distress, 
materially  delayed  action  upon  the  wise  determination  of  the  founders 
of  our  State  government.  Yet  under  all  untoward  circumstances, 
the  University  was  chartered  in  1786,  and  entered  upon  its  work  in 
1795.  It  lit  the  torch  of  public  education,  if  at  the  time  it  could  do 
no  more.  Its  own  career  grandly  illustrated  its  own  usefulness  Its 
example  and  influence  kept  alive  that  broader  ultimate  plan  and  pur- 
pose of  an  education  to  be  brought  to  every  child  in  the  land." 


Education.  249 

FREE  PUBLIC  SCHOOLS. 

The  first  step  toward  free  public  schools  was  taken  by  Judge 
Murpliey,  in  the  session  of  the  lyCgislature  of  1816,  in  a  report  urging 
the  establishun^ut  of  a  judicious  system  of  public  education.  But  no 
further  legislative  action  on  the  subject  was  taken  until  the  session  of 
1825,  in  which  year  a  fund  for  the  establishment  of  common  schools 
was  created  by  the  General  Assembly,  "consisting  of  the  dividends 
arising  from  the  stocks  then  held  or  afterwards  acquired  by  the  State 
in  the  banks  of  New  Bern  and  Cape  Fear,  the  dividends  arising  from 
the  stocks  owned  by  the  State  in  the  Cape  Fear  Navigation  Company, 
the  Roanoke  Navigation  Company,  and  the  Club  Foot  and  Harlowe 
Creek  Canal  Company,  the  tax  imposed  by  law  on  license  to  retailers 
of  spirituous  liquors  and  auctioneers,  the  unexpended  balance  of  the 
agricultural  fund,  all  moneys  paid  to  the  State  for  the  entries  of 
vacant  land,  and  all  the  vacant  and  unappropriated  swamp  lands  of 
the  State,  together  with  such  sums  of  money  as  the  State  may  find  it 
convenient  to  appropriate  from  time  to  time." 

In  1789,  the  Legislature  in  session  in  Fayetteville,  by  anticipa- 
tion, had  cut  off  by  far  the  largest  resources  applicable  to  the  school 
fund.  The  largest  body  of  vacant  land  then  owned  by  the  State, 
included  all  the  territory  of  the  present  State  of  Tennesssee.  But  as 
a  heavy  debt  rested  upon  the  National  Government  for  the  costs  of 
the  Revolutionary  War,  Congress  had  frequentl}^  urged  upon  the 
States  owning  western  territory,  the  policy  of  ceding  the  whole  or 
part  of  such  territory  to  aid  in  the  extinguishment  of  such  debt. 
North  Carolina,  with  responsive  generosity,  gave  up  the  territory  of 
Tennessee,  with  all  her  prospective  school  lands,  and  fell  back  upon 
her  other  resources  and  the  relief  or  aids  of  future  legislation. 

Such  legislation  was  had,  and  by  the  transfer  to  the  Literary 
Fund  by  the  State  Government  in  1837  of  the  State's  share  of  the 
surplus  deposit  fund,  in  the  United  States  Treasury  distributed  to  the 
States  by  the  Act  of  Congress  of  June  23,  1836,  the  Literary  Fund  for 
the  "Common  Schools"  was  increased  by  $1,133,757.39.  ^^^  total 
"Surplus  revenue"  fund  turned  over  by  the  Treasurer  of  the  United 
States  to  the  State  comptroller  was  $1,433,757.39.  C)f  this  the  State 
Treasury  used  $100,000,  and  $200,000  was  applied  to  draining  swamp 
lands. 

The  common  school  system,  as  it  was  designated,  was  adopted 
in  1839,  ^^^  continued  in  force  until  superceded  by  the  results  of  the 
war.  Under  that  system  in  1850  the  number  of  schools  was  2,657;  o^ 
teachers,  2,730;  of  pupils,  104,095.  The  income  being  in  that  year 
$158,564,  increased  in  i860  to  $268,719. 


250  North  Caroi^ina  and  its  Resources. 

As  a  result  of  the  war,  the  whole  I^iterary  Fund  was  lost,  and 
new  provision  had  to  be  made. 

Without  going  into  details  involving  the  legislation  of  several 
years,  it  is  enough  to  say  here  that  in  1894-5,  from  the  general  poll- 
tax,  general  property  tax  (18  cents  on  the  $100),  special  poll-tax, 
special  property  tax  under  local  acts,  special  poll-tax  under  local 
acts,  fines,  forfeitures  and  penalties,  liquor  licenses,  auctioneers^ 
estrays  and  other  sources,  all  of  which  are  specially  applied  to  the 
school  fund,  and  from  the  State  Board  of  Education,  there  was 
realized  the  sum  of  $777,079.29,  as  against  the  receipts  of  1884  of 
$580,311.06;  and  for  1894-5  the  expenditures  were  $783,405.09. 

The  school  census  of  1894-5  shows  the  number  of  persons  between 
six  and  twenty-one  years  of  age  to  have  been — white,  389,709; 
colored,  212,191;  total,  601,900;  of  which  there  was  an  enrollment  of 
— white,  235,486;  and  of  colored,  123,899;  total,  359,385.  The 
average  attendance  during  the  same  time  was,  for  whites,  149,046  for 
colored,  71,246.  Average  length  for  school  terms — for  whites  12.85. 
for  colored,  12.12.  Average  salary  of  teachers — white  males,  $25.53; 
white  females,  $23.08;  colored  males,  $23.08;  colored  females,  $19.27, 

The  value  of  public  school  property  in  1894-5  for  whites  was 
$817,148.08;  for  colored,  $301,149.80.  The  number  of  public  school 
houses  in  the  same  year  was — for  whites,  4,556;  for  colored,  2,010. 
Number  of  schools  taught  in  same  period,  for  whites,  4,811;  colored 
2,296.  Number  of  school  districts,  for  whites  5,123;  for  colored, 
2,424;  and  the  statistics  of  the  Normal  Schools  for  1894-5  for  the 
colored  race,  show  an  attendance  at  Fayetteville  of  236;  at  Salisbury, 
of  236;  at  Franklinton,  215;  at  Plymouth, 301;  and  at  Goldsboro,  277. 

For  the  fiscal  year  ending  November  30th,  1895,  there  had  been 
levied  for  school  purposes  on  white  polls,  $250,458.85;  and  on  colored 
polls,  $94,436.58.  On  general  property  there  had  been  levied  on  the 
whites  $363,258,68,  and  on  colored  $12,861.92.  Total  from  all 
sources  for  1895,  $765,510.27. 

The  population  of  North  Carolina  by  the  census  of  1890  is — white, 
1,049,191;  colored,  567,170;  all  others,  1,586;  a  total  of  1,617,947,  the 
colored  population  being  a  little  more  than  one-third  of  the  whole. 
In  the  contribution  to  the  support  of  schools,  the  whites  contribute 
nearly  five-sixths  of  the  whole,  and  the  colored  little  more  than  one- 
sixth.  Nevertheless,  the  appropriation  is  made  ridgidly  pro  rata,  as 
if  the  contribution  had  been  on  the  same  basis. 

Besides  the  levy,  which  is  now  18  cents  on  the  $100  worth  of 
property,  and  the  other  subjects  upon  which  taxation  is  laid  for  the 
benefit  of  the  public  schools,  the  State  has  received  large  benefactions 


o  ^ 
en  — 
<     ^ 


Education.  251 

from  the  Peabody  Fund,  appropriated  in  aid  of  public,  normal  and 
graded  schools,  and  to  holders  of  scholarships  in  the  Nashville  Nor- 
mal School.  There  are  twenty  of  these  scholarships,  each  worth  $100 
per  annum,  and  railrod  fare  to  and  from  Nashville,  Tenn.,  each  ses- 
sion for  two  years.  The  average  annual  appropriation  to  the  State 
from  this  fund  is  about  $8,500. 

The  present  public  school  system  exists  under  that  feature  of  the 
State  Constitution  providing  for  a  State  Board  of  Education,  consist- 
ing of  the  Governor,  lyieutenant-Governor,  Secretary  of  State,  Treas- 
urer, Auditor,  Attorney-General  and  Superintendent  of  Public 
Instruction.  The  latter  is  the  head  of  the  system  of  public  schools. 
Each  county  has  its  Board  of  Education  and  County  Examiners.  The 
County  Board  consists  of  the  commissioners.  The  normal  system 
was  adopted  in  1877  for  the  whites  as  well  as  the  colored  people,  and 
eight  normal  schools  have  been  established  for  the  former  and  seven 
for  the  latter.  The  Normal  and  Industrial  School  for  white 
women  has  superceded  the  eight  white  normal  schools.  A  normal 
department  is  provided  at  the  University  for  young  men  with  a 
summer  school  for  both  sexes  of  white  teachers.  The  seven  colored 
normal  schools  are  still  continued,  for  which  the  State  pays  annually 
$10,000. 

It  need  scarcely  be  added  that  while  the  provision  for  the  schools 
for  both  races  is  made  with  strictly  impartial  appropriation  of  the 
public  funds,  the  schools  themselves  are  separate;  and  a  still  further 
separation  is  made  in  the  schools  of  the  Croatan  Indians  of  Robeson 
county,  which  are  detached  from  both  the  white  and  colored  schools;, 
and  the  State  appropriates  $500  annually  for  training  teachers  for 
Croatan  schools. 

UNIVERSITY  OP  NORTH  CAROLINA. 

The  University  was  chartered  in  1789,  and  opened  in  1795.  It  is 
the  oldest  university  in  the  south ;  up  to  1 860  it  had  a  very  large 
patronage  from  all  the  southern  States.  Its  roll  of  alumni  includes 
many  names  of  national  repute,  and  it  may  be  doubted  whether  so 
large  a  percentage  of  the  alumni  of  any  other  American  college  have 
achieved  eminence  in  public  life.  Among  them  may  be  named 
President,  Jas.  K.  Polk;  Vice-President,  Wm.  R.  King;  Senator, 
Thomas  H.  Benton;  Wm.  A.  Graham,  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  Whig 
candidate  for  the  Vice-Presidency;  Major  General  Francis  P.  Blair, 
U.  S.  A.,  Democratic  candidate  for  the  Vice  Presidency;  John  Y. 
Mason,  Leonidas  Polk,  John  Branch,  Willie  P.  Mangum,  Jacob 
Thompson,  Aaron   V.  Brown,   James  C.    Dobbin,  John  H.  Eaton,, 


252  North  Caroi^ina  and  its  Resources. 

Francis  L.  Hawks,  Cyrus  ly.  Hawks,  Wm.  M.  Green,  Archibald  M. 
DeBow,  Zebulon  B.  Vance  and  James  Johnston  Pettigrew. 

The  University  embraces  the  College,  the  Law  School,  the 
Medical  School,  and  the  Summer  School  for  teachers.  The  College 
contains  fourteen  departments  offering  one  hundred  and  one  courses 
of  instruction,  arranged  both  for  graduate  and  undergraduate  in- 
struction. The  Law  School  and  the  Medical  School  each  offers  two 
years  instruction.  The  Summer  School  for  Teachers  is  held  during 
the  month  of  July,  and  offers  about  forty  courses  of  instruction. 
There  is  also  a  Summer  Session  of  the  Law  School  (July-September). 

The  University  includes  thirty-five  teachers  (who  represent  the 
training  of  twenty-one  American  and  European  Universities;)  the 
student-roll  numbers  five  hundred  and  thirty-four.  It  possesses 
property  worth  about  $600,000,  being  $500,000  worth  of  land,  build- 
ings and  apparatus  and  $100,000  in  endowment  funds.  The  campus 
contains  fifty  acres  of  land,  with  five  hundred  acres  of  forest  land 
adjoining.  There  are  eleven  large  brick  buildings,  containing  lecture 
rooms,  museums,  laboratories  and  student  rooms.  The  library  con- 
tains forty  thousand  volumes.  The  gymnasium  is  the  largest  in  the 
south.  The  University  is  administered  with  great  economy.  The 
total  expense  of  an  education  there  for  four  years  need  not  exceed 
$1,000.  Tuition  is  $60.00  a  year.  About  the  fourth  of  the  students 
are  self-supporting.  Eighty  scholarships  are  given  annually  to  needy 
boys,  and  loans  are  made  to  the  very  needy. 

The  seat  of  the  University  is  Chapel  Hill,  about  twenty-eight 
miles  northwest  of  Raleigh.  It  is  a  beautiful,  healthful  village,  free 
from  vice  and  extravagant  life. 

Mr.  Edward  A.  Alderman  is  President. 

COLLEGE  OF  AGRICULTURE  AND  MECHANIC  ARTS. 

Some  years  ago  a  small  but  able  and  earnest  set  of  men  became 
convinced  that  the  industrial  growth  of  North  Carolina  was  being 
retarded  by  the  lack  of  technically  trained  men  to  assist  and  to  guide 
this  development.  To  supply  this  need  these  men  began  to  advocate 
the  establishment  of  an  industrial  school.  The  times  were  ripe  for  the 
success  of  such  a  movement;  all  over  the  State  the  movement  was 
taken  up,  and  the  North  Carolina  College  of  Agriculture  and 
Mechanic  Arts  was  the  result  of  their  endeavors. 

The  college  opened  its  doors  for  students  in  October  of  1889,  and 
has  had  a  healthy  and  steady  growth  ever  since.  Like  all  new  enter- 
prises it  had  to  encounter  some  hostility,  and  a  great  deal  of  indiffer- 
ence and  incredulity  as  to  power  to  do  the  work  that  was  wanted. 


il 


NORTH    CAROLINA    COLLEGE    OF    AGRICULTURE    AND    MECHANIC    ARTS. 


Education.  253 

These,  its  friends  think,  the  College  has  now  entirely  overcome.  The 
success  of  its  graduates  is  the  best  guarantee  that  the  institution  was 
needed  and  that  it  is  supplying  that  need. 

When  the  college  opened  in  1889,  it  had  only  one  building,  very 
little  equipment,  and  only  five  professors  present  for  duty.  In  the  six 
years  that  have  passed  since  then,  nine  other  large  and  comfortable 
buildings  have  been  added,  equipment  and  apparatus  have  been 
bought  for  all  departments,  and  the  faculty  has  increased  from  five  to 
twenty. 

In  equipping  the  institution,  the  trustees  wisely  decided  that  a 
technical  college  to  be  at  all  successful, must  be  completely  furnished; 
hence  the  shops,  the  drawing-rooms,  the  chemical,  the  physical,  the 
horticultural,  the  electrical  laboratories,  the  barn,  the  dairy,  and  all 
the  class  rooms  have  been  provided  with  the  best  modern  apparatus 
and  machinery.  Every  department  of  the  College  is  now  equipped 
to  do  thorough  and  practical  work. 

"What  is  the  specific  object  of  the  Agricultural  and  Mechanical 
College?"  is  a  question  often  asked.  The  object  is  to  give  young 
men,  while  they  are  getting  a  general  education,  also  a  technical 
training  that  will  make  them  self-sustaining  in  life  and  also  make 
them  intelligent  directors  of  agricultural  and  mechanical  enterprises. 
It  does  not,  however,  aim  to  make  them  mere  machines,  for  its  stu- 
dents have  a  regular  college  course  minus  the  classical  languages  but 
plus  scientific  studies  in  particular  lines.  While  its  purpose  is  to  give 
its  graduates  definite  callings  in  life,  its  idea  of  education  is  no  more 
narrow,  no  more  "Brodwissenschaften,"  than  is  the  special  college  or 
seminary  for  the  doctor  or  the  minister.  The  object  of  these  colleges 
or  seminaries  is  to  train  a  man  for  what  he  is  to  do;  the  object  of  any 
technical  college  is  the  same.  It  assumes  as  a  fundimental  postulate 
that  a  man  who  wants  to  farm,  to  run  a  grapery,  to  direct  a  dairy,  to 
make  his  living  by  mechanical  engineering,  to  support  himself  as  a 
civil  engineer  is  entitled  to  as  good  and  as  special  training  as  a  man 
who  expects  to  preach  or  to  practice  medicine.  It  also  holds  that 
there  is  time  and  opportunity  for  a  man,  while  he  is  getting  a  general 
education,  to  get  also,  and  at  the  same  time,  special  training  for  the 
work  in  which  he  expects  to  engage. 

The  institution  is  supported  by  grants  from  the  general  govern- 
ment and  by  an  appropriation  from  the  state.  Tuition  is  made  low  in 
order  that  as  many  as  possible  of  the  sons  of  North  Carolina  may  be 
gathered  together  to  be  trained  for  work  in  their  own  State  and  for 
their  own  people. 

The  faculty  consists  of  the  following  members:     President  and 


254  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

Professor  of  History,  A.  Q.  Holladay,  lyly.  D.;  Professor  of  Horticul- 
ture, W.  F.  Massey,  C.  E.;  Professor  of  Chemistry,  W.  A.  Withers, 

A.  M.;  Professor  of  English,  D.  H.  Hill,  A.  M.;  Professor  of  Agricul- 
ture, B.  Irby,  M.  S.;  Professor  of  Civil  Engineering  and  Mathematics, 
W.  C.  Riddick,  A.  B.,  C.  E.;  Professor  of  Mechanical  Engineering,  N. 
R.  Craighill,  S.  B.;  Professor  of  Physics,  Electrical  Engineering  and 
Military  Science,  lyt.Col.  N.  H.  Barnes,  A.  M. ,  Ph.  D. ;  Adjunct-Profes- 
sor of  Mathematics,  R.  E.  L.  Yates,  A.  M.;  Assistant  Professor  of  Agri- 
culture, F.  E.  Emery,  M.  S.;  Instructor  in  Drawing  and  Shop  Work,  C. 
M.  Pritchett,  M.  E.;  Superintendent  of  Shops,  C.  B.  Park;  Assistant  in 
Farm  Practice  and  Superintendent  of  Farm,  B.  S.  Skinner;  Instructor  in 
Veterinary  Science,  F.  P.  Williamson,  D.  V.  S.;  Assistant  in  Chemis- 
try, J.  A.  Bizzell,  B.  S.;  Assistant  in  Physics,  W.  K.  Davis,  Jr.,  B.S.; 
Assistant  in  Drawing  and  Shop,  David  Clark,  M.  E.;  Assistant  in 
Chemistry,  G.  S.  Fraps,  B.  S.;  Assistant  in  Dairying,  A.  H.  Prince, 

B.  S.;  Tutor  of  Sub-Freshman  Class,  A.  A.  Wilson. 

STATE  NORflAL  AND  INDUSTRIAL  SCHOOL. 

The  State  Normal  and  Industrial  School  for  women,  located  at 
Greensboro,  was  established  by  act  of  the  General  Assembly  of  1891, 
and  began  its  work  in  October,  1892.  It  is  supported  mainly  by  the 
State,  but  receives  liberal  aid  from  the  Peabody  Fund,  and  has  con- 
siderable revenue  from  tuition  fees. 

$30,000  and  ten  acres  of  land  were  given  to  secure  its  location  at 
Greensboro.  The  management  of  the  institution  is  in  the  hands  of  a 
Board  of  Directors,  consisting  of  one  member  from  each  congressional 
district.  The  State  Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction  is,  ex-officio, 
president  of  the  Board. 

The  purpose  for  which  the  institution  was  created  is  stated  in 
section  5  of  the  Act  establishing  it,  which  reads  as  follows: 

"The  objects  of  this  institution  shall  be  (i)  to  give  to  young  women  such 
education  as  shall  fit  them  for  teaching;  (2)  to  give  instruction  to  young  women 
in  drawing,  telegraphy,  typewriting,  stenography  and  such  other  industrial  arts 
as  may  be  suitable  to  their  sex,  and  conducive  to  their  support  and  usefulness. 
Tuition  shall  be  free  to  those  who  signify  their  intention  to  teach,  upon  such 
conditions  as  may  be  prescribed  by  the  Board  of  Directors." 

That  the  Normal  and  Industrial  School  fills  a  long  felt  need  in 
North  Carolina,  its  liberal  patronage  alone  is  sufl&cient  proof.  Its 
enrollment  of  students  this  year  is  444,  besides  97  pupils  in  its  Prac- 
tice School.  During  the  four  years  of  its  existence,  it  has  matricu- 
lated 931  students,  representing  all  the  ninety-six  counties  of  the 
State  except  three. 


Education.  255 

The  Normal  and  Industrial  School  has  an  able  faculty,  consisting 
of  twenty-seven  officers  and  instructors,  who  have  been  prepared  for 
their  work  in  the  best  institutions  in  the  country.  It  has  good  labo- 
ratories, libraries,  and  other  equipment.     Prof.  Chas.  D.  Mclver,  is 

President. 

DAVIDSON  COLLEGE. 

This  College  is  the  Presbyterian  institution  of  higher  learning 
and  may  be  regarded  as  the  legitimate,  if  somewhat  remote,  successor 
to  Queen's  College,  or  Liberty  Hall,  as  it  was  called  after  Royal 
recognition  of  the  former  had  been  denied.  After  many  efforts  at 
revival,  and  against  strong  opposition  to  the  creation  of  a  distinctly 
denominational  college,  Concord  Presbytery,  in  the  spring  of  1835, 
adopted  resolutions  looking  to  the  establishment  of  a  Presbyterian 
College  in  their  Presbytery;  and  in  the  fall  of  the  same  year  a  site 
"was  selected  in  the  northern  part  of  Mecklenburg  County,  at  which 
has  been  called  the  literary  and  geographical  centre  of  the  State. 
The  institution  was  named  in  honor  of  General  William  Davidson, 
the  revolutionary  hero. 

The  College  was  opened  in  March,  1837,  with  66  students.  A 
charter  was  granted  by  the  Legislature  in  1838.  The  manual  labor 
system  was  at  first  adopted,  but  as  at  Wake  Forest,  it  proved  a  failure 
and  was  abandoned.  In  1855,  Maxwell  Chambers,  Esq.,  of  Salisbury, 
made  the  munificent  bequest  of  $258,000  to  the  College,  and  this 
relieved  it  of  all  existing  financial  trouble  and  assured  its  future 
freedom  from  embarrassment.  The  terms  of  the  charter  limited  the 
endownment  to  $200,000,  and  only  that  amount  could  be  realized 
from  the  bequest.  About  $100,000  of  this  endownment  was  lost  by 
reason  of  the  war.  In  addition  to  the  proceeds  arising  from  the 
interest  of  this  endownment,  the  College  has  endowed  scholarships, 
such  as  the  Maxwell  Chambers  scholarship  of  $3,000,  endowed  by 
the  Presbyterian  Church  of  Salisbury;  the  D.  A.  Davis  scholarship  of 
$1,500,  endowed  by  the  same  church;  the  George  Bower  scholarship 
of  $1,000,  endowed  by  Mrs.  A.  C.  Davis,  of  Salisbury,  and  the 
Thomas  Brown  scholarship  of  $1,000,  endowed  by  Brown  Bros.,  of 
Winston,  and  one  of  $500,  endowed  by  Gen.  Rufus  Barringer  and 
Mr.  George  E.  Wilson,  of  Charlotte,  one  of  $1,500,  the  Kate 
Williams  scholarship,  endowed  by  G.  W.  Williams,  Esq.,  of  Wil- 
mington; one  of  $1,000,  J.  S.  Carr,  Esq.,  Durham;  one  of  $1,000,  by 
S.  H,  Wiley,  Esq.,  Salisbury;  the  Gates  scholarship  of  $500,  by  R. 
M.  Gates  and  Gates  Bros.,  Charlotte;  the  P.  T.  Penick  scholarship  of 
$500,  by  the  Presbyterian  Church  at  Mooresville,  and  the  Willie  J. 
Brown  scholarship  of  $500,  endowed  by  Col.  Jno.  E.  Brown  of  Charlotte. 


256  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

Two  regular  courses  of  study,  leading  to  the  degrees  of  Bachelor 
of  Arts  and  Bachelor  of  Science,  each  requiring  four  years,  are  pro- 
vided. The  requirements  for  admission  are  much  the  same  as  at  the 
State  University.  A  post-graduate  course,  leading  to  the  degree  of 
Master  of  Arts,  is  available.  The  course  of  instruction  is  thorough, 
and  many  distinguished  men  of  the  State  are  alumni  of  the  institu- 
tion. 

The  Faculty  numbers  eight  professors.  The  Rev.  John  Bunyan 
Shearer,  D.D.,  lyl^.D.,  is  President.  There  is  a  regular  and  full 
attendance,  made  up  largely  from  this  and  the  States  adjoining. 

TRINITY  COLLEGE. 

The  leading  Methodist  College  of  North  Carolina,  is  the  out- 
growth of  the  Grammar  School,  established  by  the  Rev.  Brantly  York, 
in  1838,  in  the  north-west  corner  of  Randolph  county,  five  miles  south 
of  the  town  of  High  Point,  on  the  North  Carolina  Railroad,  and 
about  one  hundred  miles  west  of  Raleigh.  In  1842,  Dr.  York, 
resigned  the  charge  of  the  school,  and  the  Rev.  B.  Craven,  then  only 
nineteen  years  old,  was  elected  as  successor.  In  1851,  the  school  was 
re-chartered  and  the  name  changed  to  "  Normal  College."  By  this 
charter,  the  school  was  brought  under  the  State  supervision,  and  the 
Governor  of  the  State  became  ex  officio  President  of  the  Board  of 
Trustees,  and  the  Superintendent  of  Common  Schools,  Secretary.  The 
object  of  this  connection  was  to  secure  a  higher  grade  of  teachers  for 
the  common  schools,  and,  by  a  provision  of  the  charter,  a  certificate 
from  the  Normal  College  was  made  ample  lawful  evidence  of  qualifi- 
cation to  teach  in  such  schools.  At  the  annual  session  of  the  North 
Carolina  Conference  of  the  Methodist  Church,  held  in  Salisbury,  in 
1 851,  the  connection  between  the  school  and  the  Conference  was 
adopted,  and  the  Trustees  of  the  College  agreed  that  young  men  pre- 
paring for  the  ministry  should  be  educated  without  charge.  In  1853, 
the  charter  was  amended,  and  the  College  was  authorized  to  confer 
degrees.  In  i858-'9,  the  management  of  the  institution  was  trans- 
ferred to  the  North  Carolina  Conference  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  South  and  by  act  of  the  Legislature,  the  College  was  vested 
in  the  Conference  with  all  the  the  rights  and  privileges  usually 
granted  in  such  cases,  and  the  name  was  changed  from  Normal  to 
Trinity  College.  The  College  suffered  from  the  effects  of  the 
war,  and  in  1865,  for  a  short  time,  exercises  were  suspended. 
Dr.  Craven,  in  that  year,  was  re-elected  President,  and  the  next  year 
exercises  were  resumed.  In  1882,  Dr.  Craven  died,  with  disastrous 
influence  on  the  fortunes  of  the   institution,  which    fell  so  low  as  to 


Education.  257 

threaten  its  existence.  Prominent  laj^men  came  to  the  rescue,  and 
its  strength  was  renewed,  its  curriculum  broadened,  its  scholastic 
standard  raised,  and  it  took  rank  with  the  other  colleges  of  the  South. 

In  1890,  in  accordance  with  the  order  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of 
the  College,  of  the  North  Carolina  and  of  the  Western  North  Carolina 
Conferences  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South,  and  of  the  General 
Assembly,  amending  the  charter,  the  institution  was  ordered  to  be 
removed  to  Durham,  where  Blackwell's  Park,  consisting  of  sixty-two 
and  a  half  acres  of  eligibly  situated  land,  was  secured  as  a  site  for  the 
buildings  and  grounds.  Liberal  donations  made  by  citizens  of  Dur- 
ham, and  other  munificent  aid  enabled  the  management  to  proceed 
so  rapidly  with  the  construction  of  the  necessary  buildings  that 
the  session  of  i892-'3  was  opened  at  Durham.  These  buildings 
consist  of  the  main  College,  the  Technological  building,  the  College 
Inn,  the  Gymnasium  buildings  and  seven  residences  for  the  Faculty 
and  officers,  altogether  constituting  a  mass  of  well  constructed  and 
archite<^turally  imposing  edifices.  The  grounds  are  well  laid  off,  and 
the  whole  is  an  independent  municipal  corporation,  with  its  ov/n 
mayor,  commissioners  and  peace  officer. 

At  present,  the  institution  has  eleven  chairs  of  instruction  and 
six  assistant  instructors,  distributed  among  the  several  departments 
of  instruction  in  which  the  work  of  the  College  is  divided.  The  work 
of  instruction  is  organized  under  the  following  departments,  viz.:  The 
Department  of  Philosophy  and  Letters;  the  Scientific  Department; 
the  Technological  Department;  the  Department  of  History,  Political 
and  Social  Science;  the  Theological  Department;  the  Law  Depart- 
ment; and  the  Commercial  Department. 

The  College  fees  for  the  session  are  $60;  board  and  incidentals, 
$95  to  $140;  commencement  tax,  $2.50;  total,  f  157.50  to  $202.50. 

John  C.  Kilgo,  D.  D.,  is  now  President. 

WAKE  FOREST  COLLEGE. 

This  college  was  chartered  at  the  session  of  the  General  Assembl}- 
of  1833.  A  tract  of  land  containing  615  acres  sixteen  miles  north  of 
Raleigh,  at  the  point  now  known  as  Wake  Forest,  was  purchased, and 
the  erection  of  buildings  begun.  The  institution  was  opened  in 
February,   1834. 

The  system  first  adopted,  which  was  that  of  manual  labor,  asso- 
ciated with  the  ordinary  college  curriculum,  was  soon  abandoned  as 
impracticable  and  unproductive  of  satisfactory  results,  and  the  colle- 
giate system  only  retained.  Laboring  under  the  embarrassments  of 
debt  in  the  early  years  of  its  existence,  it  was  at  length  relieved  in 

17 


258  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

1849.  Since  that  period,  by  the  earnest  and  liberal  zeal  of  prominent 
members  of  the  Baptist  Church,  an  endowment  fund  has  been 
accumulated,  now  amounting  to  more  than  $220,000.  In  the 
number,  excellence  and  elegance  of  the  college  buildings.  Wake  For- 
est is  the  equal  of  any  like  institution  in  the  country.  Among  these 
may  be  mentioned  the  "Lea  Laboratory,"  the  "Wingate  Memorial 
Hall,"  the  "Old  Dormitory"  and  the  "Heck- Williams  Library 
Building." 

The  standard  of  scholarship  is  high,  and  among  the  graduates 
are  very  many  prominent  men,  not  only  in  the  pulpit,  but  in  all  the 
learned  professions  and  in  business  and  industrial  avocations.  These 
are  now  living  in  thirty-one  states  of  the  union. 

The  faculty  now  consists  of  C.  K.  Taylor,  president,  professor  of 
Moral  Philosophy;  W.  B.  Royall,  professor  of  Greek;  L.  R.  Mills, 
professor  of  Pure  Mathematics;  B.  F.  Sledd,  professor  of  English;  W. 
L-  Poteat,  professor  of  Natural  History;  C.  E.  Brewer,  professor  of 
Chemistry;  J.  B.  Carlyle,  professor  of  Latin;  J.  F.  Lanneau,  professor 
of  Physics  and  Applied  Mathematics;  W.  J.Ferrell,  assistant  professor 
of  Mathematics;  R.  W.  Haywood,  assistant  professor  of  Languages; 
T.  H.  Briggs,  Jr.,  director  of  Physical  Culture.  The  number  of  stu- 
dents in  1895-96  was  261. 

Ministers  receive  free  tuition.  Those  who  have  been  licensed  to 
preach  and  are  unable  to  command  the  means  necessary  to  defray  the 
cost  of  board,  msLy  receive  aid  for  this  purpose  from  the  Board  of 
Education  of  the  Baptist  State  Convention,  so  far  as  the  means  may 
be  at  its  disposal.  Among  the  other  aids  to  indigent  young  men,  is 
the  "Bostwick  Loan  Fund,"  created  by  the  late  J.  A.  Bostwick,  of 
New  York  City,  who  has  given  to  the  college  $12,000,  to  be  held  in 
perpetuity,  the  annual  interest  to  be  used  in  making  loans  to  students 
to  pay  their  tuition  bills,  and  nothing  else,  to  be  loaned  at  4  per  cent, 
payable  semi-annually,  on  terms  agreed  upon. 

"The  North  Carolina  Baptist  Students'  Loan  Fund,"  incorporated 
March,  1877,  lends  money  arising  from  the  interest  of  its  invested 
fund  to  indigent  young  men  wishing  to  study  in  the  college,  the  loan 
to  be  re-paid  with  interest  after  the  completion  of  the  course. 

The  Law  School,  inaugurated  in  1894,  ^^s  proved  a  signal  suc- 
cess and  is  largely  patronized. 

The  preparatory  school  in  medicine  has  steadily  grown  in  value 
and  in  popular  estimation. 


Education.  259 

ELON  COLLEGE. 

This  institution  is  situated  at  a  station  of  the  same  name,  in  a 
beautiful  oak  grove  on  the  North  Carolina  division  of  the  Southern 
railroad,  in  Alamance  county.  It  is  under  the  control  of  the  General 
Convention  of  the  Christian  Church  South,  and  is  non-sectarian  in 
spirit.  It  is  co-educational,  the  sexes  being  admitted  on  equal 
terms,  which  after  years  of  trial,  has  proven  to  be  a  benefit  to  both. 
It  has  a  Faculty  of  progressive  specialists,  a  healthy  climate,  library, 
and  three  lyiterary  Societies  with  elegant  halls.  It  has  Literary, 
Music,  Art  and  Commercial  Departments,  and  gives  degrees  in  the 
following  courses:  A.  B.,  Ph.  B.  and  A.  M.  Rev.  W.  W.  Staley, 
D.  D.,  is  President,  Rev.  J.  O.  Atkinson,  Chairman  of  the  Faculty, 
and  S.  A.  Holeman,  Bursar. 

GUILFORD  COLLEGE. 

This  institution  was  founded  by  North  Carolina  yearly  meeting 
of  Friends,  and  was  opened  in  the  year  1837,  under  the  name  of  "  New 
Garden  Boarding  School,"  being  chartered  by  the  Legislature  in  1834. 
From  1837,  it  has  been  in  continuous  operation,  and  has  been  open 
alike  to  both  sexes. 

In  1888,  the  Institution  was  chartered  under  the  name  of  Guilford 
College.  New  buildings  having  been  erected,  the  course  of  study 
extended,  and  the  Faculty  increased  to  ten  members;  and  authority 
was  given  to  confer  degrees. 

The  buildings  are  located  on  a  well  cultivated  farm  of  two  hun- 
dred and  sixty  acres,  six  miles  west  of  Greensboro,  in  Guilford  county, 
near  the  "Winston  and  Salem  railroad;  and  consist  of  the  original 
building.  Founders  Hall,  erected  in  i835-'7;  ^^'^S  Hall  and  Archdele 
Hall,  both  built  in  1885;  Y.  M.  C.  A.  Hall,  erected  in  1891;  and  a 
gymnasium,  seventy-five  by  fifty  feet,  constructed  in  1896,  which  is 
under  the  directorship  of  a  graduate  of  the  Boston  Normal  School  of 
Gymnastics. 

There  are  three  extended  courses  of  study  provided,  the  Classi- 
cal, Scientific  and  Latin  Scientific.  Bryn  Mawr  College,  annually 
grants  to  a  lady  graduate  of  Guilford,  a  graduate  scholarship  at 
Bryn  Mawr,  of  the  value  of  four  hundred  dollars,  and  young  men 
receive  a  like  recognition  at  Haverford  College. 

Besides  the  large,  substantial,  well  furnished  buildings,  the 
Museum  of  Natural  History,  College  and  Society  libraries,  the  col- 
lege possesses  a  cash  endowment  of  $60,000. 

There  is  also  a  dairy  of  fifty  jersey  cows  owned  by  the  college 
and  a  large  silo  barn. 


26o  North  Carolina  and  its  Rksourcks. 

The  equipment  of  the  college  has  come  largely  from  friends  in 
Maryland,  and  some  northern  and  western  states,  and   in  England. 

BINGHAM  SCHOOL. 

The  Bingham  School  was  established  in  1793,  by  the  Rev.  Wil- 
liam Bingham,  a  native  of  Ireland,  at  Pittsboro.  The  School,  in  its 
succession  through  three  generations  of  the  same  name  and  family, 
has  long  been  pre-eminent  in  the  South,  and  noted  throughout  the 
whole  Union.  Mr.  Bingham,  for  five  years,  from  1801  to  1805,  was 
Professor  of  Latin  in  the  State  University,  and  then  resigned  to  re- 
open his  School  at  Hillsboro.  At  his  death,  1826,  he  was  succeeded 
by  his  eldest  son,  William  J.  Bingham,  who  continued  it  for  twenty 
years  at  Hillsboro,  with  a  reputation  that  brought  him  pupils  from 
all  parts  of  North  Carolina  and  from  all  the  Southern  States.  Subse- 
quently the  School  was  removed  to  Oaks,  in  Orange  County,  where 
the  Principal  was  assisted  by  his  sons  William  and  Robert  Bingham, 
both  graduates  of  the  University.  On  the  death  of  the  elder  Bing- 
ham, the  School  was  removed  to  a  point  near  Mebanesville,  in  the 
same  county.  William  Bingham  soon  after  died,  and  was  succeeded 
by  his  brother  Robert,  by  whom  the  institution  was  still  conducted. 
In  addition  to  thorough  classical  and  English  and  business  education, 
the  military  feature  has  been  added,  an  officer  of  the  United  States 
Army  having  been  detailed  as  commandant  of  the  cadets.  Owing  to 
the  destruction  of  a  portion  of  the  School  buildings  by  two  successive 
fires,  Major  Robert  Bingham  was  induced  to  remove  the  School  to 
Asheville,  where  it  now  is,  without  abatement  of  its  usefullness  or 
reputation. 

Gov.  Elias  Carr,  in  speaking  of  this  school  says: 
"After  a  careful  personal  inspection  of  the  present  location  and 
the  sanitary  arrangements,  made  recently,  I  am  impressed  with  the 
great  improvement  over  the  old  plan  of  buildings  used  in  my  school 
days;  and  I  have  no  hesitancy  in  pronouncing  the  location  most  desir- 
able, the  buildings  excellent,  the  sanitary  arrangements  unequaled." 

HORNER  SCHOOL. 

This  excellent  school  was  established  in  Oxford  in  1851  by 
James  H.  Horner,  the  course  of  instruction  is  thorough,  embracing 
the  classical,  mathematical,  scientific  and  military  features.  Each 
course  is  arranged  for  four  years.  The  classical  course  embraces  the 
studies  in  the  schools  of  Latin,  Greek,  Mathematics,  English  Gram- 
mar and  Rhetoric,  Geography  and  History.  The  scientific  and 
English  course  embraces  Mathematics,  Natural  Science,  Metaphysics, 
English  Grammar  and  Rhetoric,  Geography,  History. 


Education.  261 

French,  German  and  Bookkeeping  are  elective  studies.  The 
School  is  strictly  military  in  its  organization  and  discipline. 

DAVIS  MILITARY  SCHOOL. 

The  Davis  Military  School  is  situated  just  outside  the  city  of 
Winston.  The  buildings  are  handsome  and  commodious,  the  grounds 
contain  thirty-five  acres.  For  many  years  the  school  has  commanded 
extensive  patronage  from  nearly  every  section  of  the  United  States, 
and  some  foreign  countries.  This  school  was  founded  by  Col.  A.  C. 
Davis,  and  for  a  number  of  years  did  work  preparatory  for  college. 
Afterward  it  became  an  incorporated  institution  wdth  full  power  to 
grant  diplomas  and  confer  degrees.  Boys  and  young  men  complete 
their  education  there,  or  receive  preparation  for  any  college.  In 
addition  to  military  tactics  there  is  a  complete  Business  College 
department. 

5ALEM  FEMALE  ACADEMY. 

This  grand  old  institution  was  founded  by  the  Moravians  in  1802. 
There  have  been  private  schools  in  the  State  so  excellent  as  to  have 
drawn  to  them  patronage  from  distant  parts  of  the  State,  but  the  honor 
must  be  ascribed  to  the  Moravians  of  having  located  the  first  institu- 
tion of  a  public  nature,  and  which  now,  after  the  lapse  of  ninety-four 
years,  grows  rather  than  loses,  in  usefulness  and  reputation,  for  it 
draws  to  it  annual  recruits  from  all  and  the  most  distant  southern, 
northern  and  western  States,  and  from  foreign  countries  to  fill  the 
places  of  those  sent  forth  to  illustrate  the  solidity  and  splendor  of 
their  mental  and  social  equipment. 

The  school  is  regularly  graded  with  a  four-years  classical  course, 
also  a  post  graduate  course,  and  is  entitled  by  law  to  confer  all  degrees 
usually  given  by  institutions  of  learning,  with  most  thorough  cultiva- 
tion in  music,  painting,  drawing  and  needle-work,  commercial  and 
industrial  branches.  The  corps  of  instructors  is  from  thirty  to  thirty- 
five.     The  whole  number  of  alumnae  is  more  than  ten  thousand. 

For  many  years  it  was  the  only  institution  of  wide  repute  in  the 
South  for  female  education.  Its  pupils,  therefore,  have  been  well 
represented  in  the  leading  families  in  the  South.  A  large  number  of 
these  alumnae  became  teachers  and  heads  of  seminaries  and  acade- 
mies, with  the  best  and  most  useful  influences  upon  the  subjects  of 
their  training. 

The  buildings  and  accommodations  of  this  school  are  elegent  and 
commodious. 


262  North  Carowna  and  its  Resources. 

PEACE  INSTITUTE. 

Peace  Institute  is  located  in  an  eight  acre  grove  of  native  oaks 
just  outside  the  northern  limits  of  Raleigh.  The  main  building, 
which  contains  nearly  one  hundred  rooms,  is  probably  one  of  the 
largest  and  one  of  the  best  school  buildings  in  the  State.  There  are 
parlors,  dining-room,  music  and  recitation  rooms,  fifty-seven  cham- 
bers and  a  large  auditorium  which  will  seat  eight  hundred  people. 

This  institute  is  the  outgrowth  of  prominent  men  in  the  North 
Carolina  Synod  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  to  establish  at  the  State 
Capital  a  school  of  high  grade  for  young  ladies.  At  the  inception  of 
the  project  William  Peace,  of  Raleigh,  headed  the  list  with  a  gift  of 
$10,000,  and  in  recognition  of  his  generosity  the  institute  was  honored 
with  his  name. 

Peace  Institute  has  had  only  two  principals.  It  began  its  career 
under  Rev.  Robert  Burwell,  D.  D.,  in  1872,  and  is  the  continuation  of 
a  school  conducted  by  him  commencing  in  1837.  The  present  princi- 
pal, James  Dinwiddle,  A.  M.,  took  charge  in  1890.  The  institute 
does  not  aim  at  large  numbers,  but  at  thorough  scholarship  and  a  high 
standard  of  attainments  of  character. 

Instruction  is  given  in  the  following  departments:  Mental  and 
Moral  Philosophy  and  Evidences  of  Christianity,  Mathematics  and 
Sciences,  Chemistry  and  Physics,  English  I^iterature  and  Criticism, 
I/atin  and  Greek, French  and  German.  Music — Instrumental,  Piano, 
Organ,  Violin,  Guitar  and  Vocal.  Fine  Arts — Drawing,  Painting  in 
Oil  and  Water  Color  and  China,  Modeling.  Physical  Culture  and 
Elocution,  Bookkeeping,  Stenography  and  Typewriting,  Cutting  and 
Fitting,  &c.,  employing  twenty-three  officers  and  teachers. 

Diplomas  are  given  in  Art,  in  Music,  in  lyiterature  and  Science, 
and  in  Literature  and  Language,  and  also  the  full  graduate  A.  B. 
diploma.  Certificates  of  proficiency  are  given  upon  the  completion 
of  the  full  course  of  study  in  any  department. 

ST.  MARY'S. 

St.  Mary's  is  a  college  for  girls  and  young  ladies  at  Raleigh. 
The  grounds  are  very  ample;  a  great  park  indeed,  which  is  much 
admired  for  its  natural  beauty.  They  were  applied  to  their  present 
uses  in  May,  1842,  when  Rev.  Dr.  Albert  Smedes  founded  the  present 
St.  Mary's  School,  under  the  auspices  of  the  Episcopal  Church  in 
North  Carolina.  The  exercises  have  been  maintained  continuously 
ever  since,  the  son  of  the  founder,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Bennett  Smedes  suc- 
ceeding to  the  control  on  the  death  of  his  father.     The  patronage  is 


Education.  263 

from  this  State  and  many  of  the  other  southern  States.  The  course 
of  education  is  ample,  embracing  all  the  substantial  branches,  as  well 
as  the  ornamental,  to  the  extremest  point  of  culture.  The  course  is 
arranged  for  five  years. 

BAPTIST  FEriALE  UNIVERSITY. 

This  institution  was  chartered  in  1891,  and  is  to  be  the  leading 
school  of  the  Baptist  denomination  in  North  Carolina.  The  main 
building  for  the  University  is  now  in  course  of  construction  at  Raleigh, 
on  a  very  eligible  location  near  the  center  of  the  city.  This  building 
when  completed  will  cost  over  ^40,000.  It  is  expected  that  the  Uni- 
versity will  be  opened  in  September,  1897,  and  as  it  is  to  be  the  head 
of  female  education  for  this  denomination,  a  large  patronage  is  expected 

CHOWAN  FEMALE  BAPTIST  INSTITUTE. 

This  prosperous  institute  is  located  at  Murfreesboro,  Hertford 
county.  It  has  very  fine  buildings,  situated  on  highly  ornamented 
grounds,  containing  twenty-eight  acres.  This  institution  originated 
in  the  purpose  of  the  Bertie  Union  Meeting  (Baptist,)  embracing  the 
counties  of  Northampton,  Bertie  and  Hertford,  to  establish  in  their 
midst  a  high  school  for  girls,  and  a  school  building  was  provided  at 
Murfreesboro  and  opened  October  11,  1848,  with  the  Rev.  A. 
McDowell,  of  South  Carolina  and  a  graduate  of  Wake  Forest  College, 
as  President.  The  prosperity  of  the  institution  was  so  rapid  and  so 
marked  as  to  demand  the  erection  of  large  buildings,  and  in  185 1,  a 
joint  stock  company  took  charge  of  the  school,  selected  a  new  site 
and  completed  a  large  and  handsome  brick  building.  The  value  of 
the  property  is  now  estimated  at  $50,000.  The  funds  were  chiefly 
contributed  by  the  Chowan  Association.  With  its  greater  facilities, 
the  institution  was  soon  filled  with  young  ladies  from  most  of  the 
southern  States  and  some  from  the  north.  It  has  had  successively 
as  its  presidents.  Dr.  McDowell,  Rev.  William  Hooper,  D.  D., 
LI*.  D.,  Rev.  Mr.  Forney,  and  again  Mr.  McDov^^ell,  who  returned  to 
the  presidency  in  1862,  and  died  in  188 1,  to  be  succeeded  b^^  Prof. 
John  B.  Brewer,  who  resigned  this  year  and  is  succeeded  by  Rev.  W. 
O.  Petty.  In  the  college  there  are  two  departments,  the  preparatory, 
requiring  two  years  for  completion,  and  the  collegiate,  four  years.  In 
the  latter  the  course  is  as  full  and  satisfactory  as  in  the  other  female 
colleges  in  the  State. 


264  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


OXFORD  FEriALE   SEMINARY. 

In  1850  there  was  established  by  the  Baptists  an  institution  in 
the  town  of  Oxford  for  the  higher  education  of  girls,  known  as  the 
Oxford  Female  College.  Under  various  administrations  this  school 
was  continued  until  the  year  1880,  when  it  passed  under  the  control 
of  Prof.  F.  P.  Hobgood,  who  for  ten  years  had  been  President  of  the 
Raleigh  Female  Seminary.  Under  his  control  it  is  still  flourishing. 
It  has  ample  buildings,  large  grounds  and  a  teaching  force  represent- 
ing in  their  acquirements  the  most  noted  American  colleges  and  some 
European  institutions.  It  is  doing  work  of  a  very  thorough  character. 
GREENSBORO  FEMALE  COLLEGE. 

This  college  occupies  a  fine  brick  building  in  a  fine  natural  park 
of  forty  acres  in  a  pleasant  part  of  Greensboro.  It  is  a  Methodist 
institution,  the  original  suggestion  of  the  Trustees  of  the  Greensboro 
Female  School,  to  the  Virginia  Conference  of  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal Church,  asking  that  a  female  college  under  their  auspices,  be 
established  at  Greensboro.  This  was  in  1837,  when  the  North  Caro- 
lina Conference  had  no  separate  existence.  It  acquired  such  the 
same  year;  and  in  1838  the  North  Carolina  Conference  obtained  a 
charter  from  the  State  L,egislature.  This  was  the  first  female  college 
chartered  in  North  Carolina,  and  the  first  south  of  the  Potomac, 
except  Wesley  an  Female  College  at  Macon,  Ga.  The  institution 
was  opened  for  students  under  the  presidency  of  the  Rev.  Solomon 
Lea,  succeeded  as  the  result  of  successive  resignations,  by  the  Rev. 
A.  M.  Shipp,  D.  D.,  the  Rev.  Chas.  F.  Deems,  and  the  Rev.  T.  M. 
Jones.  The  school  building  was  destroyed  by  fire  in  1863,  and  not 
rebuilt  until  1871.  It  was  opened  in  1873  under  the  presidency  of 
the  Rev.  T.  M.  Jones,  and  continued  under  him  with  great  success 
until  the  period  of  his  death  which  occurred  in  1889,  when  he  was 
succeeded  by  the  Rev.  B.  F.  Dixon. 

The  faculty  is  a  full  one,  and  the  attendance  of  pupils  is  from 
150  to  200,  representing  several  southern  and  western  States. 

ASHEVILLE  FEMALE  COLLEGE. 

The  Asheville  Female  College  has  been  for  more  than  half  a  cen- 
tury the  leading  institution  of  learning  in  the  western  part  of  the 
State.  It  possesses  one  of  the  best  collegiate  buildings  in  the  State, 
located  in  a  grove  of  seven  acres  almost  in  the  heart  of  the  City  of 
Asheville.  It  maintains  always  a  first-class  faculty  in  all  the  depart- 
ments. Languages,  Mathematics,  Sciences,  Literature,  Music,  Art, 
Physical  Culture  and  Elocution. 

Rev.  James  Atkins,  A.  M.,  D.  D.,  is  the  president  of  the  college. 


Education. 


26.:^ 


THE  LUTHERAN  COLLEGE  FOR  WOHEN. 

The  Lutheran  College  for  the  higher  education  of  women  has  just 
been  organized  under  the  auspices  of  the  Evangelical  Lutheran  Synod 
of  North  Carolina,  and  will  be  located  at  Charlotte.  This  institution 
is  now  in  process  of  construction,  and  the  plans  provide  for  a  f  50,000 
structure  to  be  ready  for  the  fall  term,  beginning  in  September,  1897, 
Rev.  C.  B.  King  is  the  President,  and  Professor  C.  L.  T.  Fisher,  Vice- 
President. 

PRIVATE  SCHOOLS  AND  COLLEGES. 

Many  institutions  in  North  Carolina,  some  private  and  some 
ranked  in  the  reports  of  the  Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction 
under  the  above  title,  have  merit  sufficient  to  advance  them  into  the 
class  of  colleges,  but  some  of  them  being  placed  under  the  supervision 
of  the  public  school  authorities,  can  be  considered  only  as  they  are 
above  entitled.  There  are  so  many  of  them  that  they  can  only  here 
be  referred  to  briefly. 

Among  them  are : 


name;. 


Soutiiern  Business  College. 

Hoyl's  Academy 

Taylorsville  High  School.. 

Anson    Institute 

Graded  Institute 

Southerland  Seminary...    . 

Trinity  School 

High  School 

Horner's  Academy, 

Ashe's  Academy 

Ivipsie's  Academy 

Young  Men's  Institute 

Female  College 

Mt.  St.  Joseph  Academy 

Normal  School 

Ravenscroft  School 

College , 

Davenport  College 

Finley  High  School 

High  School 

High  School 

Catawba  College 

Concordia  College 

Claramont  College 

St.  Paul  Seminary 

Academy 

Academy . . . . 

M.  F.  College 

Agusta  Seminary 

High  School 


PRINCIPAL. 


M.  M.  Ivcmmond. 
T.  C.  Hoyle 


D.  A.  McGregor 

J.  A.  McLauchlin 

J.  W.  Jones 

iSr.  C.  Hughes 

J.  B.  Newton 

W.  D.  Horner 

S.  A.  Ashe,  Jr 

T.  E.  Lipsie 

Misses  Dole  and  Miller. 
Rev.  B,  E.  Atkins 


President  Lawrence. 


Prof.  M.  A.  Yost. 
J.  D.  Minick 


H.  \V.  Reinhart 

Rev.  W.  Q,  A.  Graham  , 

Rev.  J.  cTciapp , 

Rev.  R.  A.  Yoder 

S.  P.  Hatton 


A.  B.  Stalvey. 
CD.  Graves. 
H.  P.  Bailey. . 
J.  D.  Hodges. 
C.  G.  Wells. . 


POST  office; 


Asheville. 

Burlington. 

Taylorsville. 

Wadesboro. 

Wadesboro. 

Jefferson. 

Chocowinity, 

Aulander. 

Windsor. 

Bladenboro. 

Southport. 

Asheville. 

Asheville. 

Asheville. 

Asheville. 

Asheville. 

Weaverville. 

Lenoir. 

Lenoir. 

Morehead  Cit 

Marshallberg. 

Newton. 

Conover. 

Hickory. 

Hickory. 

Pittsboro. 

Edenton. 

Hayesville. 

Augusta. 

Warsaw. 


266 


North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


NAME. 


High  School 

Boys  School 

Female  College 

Mars  Hill  College 

Academy 

Military  School 

High  School 

Academy 

Military  School 

Academy 

Female  College 

Institute 

Fairview  Institute 

Music  School 

Institute 

High  School 

Academy 

Lucknow  Institute 

Academy 

Female  College 

High  School   

Institute 

High  School 

High  School 

M.  and  F.  Academy 

M.  and  F.  Academy 

Carolina  Institute <. . 

Male  Academy 

Female  College 

Cape  Fear  Academy 

Seaboard  and  Roanoke  Institute. 

Male  Academy 

Male  Academy 

Presbyterian  High  School 

High  School 

Academy 

Academy 

Institute .^ 

Academy 

Trinity  High  School 

High  School 

High  School 

High  School 

Neave  Music  School 

Female  Seminary 

Military  School 

High  School 

Male  Academy 

Male  Academy 

Wake  Forest  Academy 

Cary  High  School 

Academy 

Military  School 

Institute 

Kinsey  Seminary 

Vine  Hill  Female  Academy 

Francis  Hilliard  School 

Academy 

Bouie's  Creek  Academy 


PRINCIPAL, 


W.   B.  Scarborough. . 

J.  F.  Brower 

J.  A.  Green . . 

Rev.  A.  E.  Booth 

R.  B.  White  

J.  H.  Horner 

R.  Iv.  Madison 

P.  Dalrvmple 

Ira  T.  Turlington 

J.  R.   Williams 

Dred  Peacock   

J.  H.  and  M.  H.  Holt. 

W.  T.  Whitsett 

J.  C.  Brockman 

J.  M.  AVeatherly 

C.  B.  Williams 

A.  B.  Justice 

Prof.  J.  C.  Clifford. .    . 


Miss  ly.  W.  Long 

H.  A.  Grey 

W.  S.  Snipes 

J.  H.  Sledd.   

C.  F.  Siler 

A.  A.  Pippin 

M.  A.  Griffin 

Prof.  Eure 

F.  S.  Wilkinson 

D.  G.  Gillespie 

Washington  Catlett. 

W.  C.  Parker 

P.J.Long 

J.  W.  Fleetwood 

Herbert  Bingham. . . 

Rev.  Tilley 

S.  I/.  Sheep 

W.  L.  Foushee 

Rev.  J.  A.  Beam 

W.  H.  Ragsdale 


D.  M.  Weatherly 

M.  Hill 

Prof.  &]Mrs.  W.  H.  Neave. 

Miss  Annie  Hughes 

Capt.  W.  T.  R.  Bell 

Stockard  &  Phillips 

J.  A.  Gilmer 

Morson  and  Denson 

H.  A.  Chnppell 

Rev.  C.  W.  Blanchard 

Hugh  Long 

Col.  T.  J.  Brewery 

Capt.  J.  Duckett 


John  Graham 

Rev.  J.  A.  Campbell. 


POST  OFFICE. 


Kernersville. 

Salem. 

Louisburg. 

Mars  Hill. 

Franklinton. 

Oxford. 

Cullowhee. 

Selma. 

Smithfield. 

Clayton. 

Greensboro. 

Oak  Ridge. 

Whitsett. 

Greeensboro. 

High  Point. 

Winton. 

Winton. 

Dunn. 

Lincolnton. 

Charlotte. 

Huntersville. 

Carthage. 

Jonesboro. 

San ford. 

Finch. 

Springhopc 

Nashville. 

Tarboro. 

Tarboro. 

Wilmington. 

Seaboard. 

Graysburg. 

Severn. 

Mebane. 

Richlands. 

Elizabeth  City, 

Roxboro. 

Bethel  Hill. 

Greenville. 

Trinity. 

Ashboro. 

Ramseur. 

Salisbury. 

Salisbury. 

Reidsville. 

Rutherfordton. 

Monroe. 

Henderson. 

Raleigh. 

Wake  Forest 

Cary. 

Wakefield. 

Fayetteville. 

Lumberton. 

Lagrange. 

Scotland  Neck. 

Oxford. 

Ridgeway. 

Foes. 


Education. 


267 


NAME- 


Skyland  Institute 

Cronly  High  School 

Paw  Creek  Academy 

Amherst  Academy   

Gaston  College 

Judson  College 

Kinston  College 

Littleton  Female  College. 
Mt.  Amoena  Seminary... 
North  Carolina  College.  . 

St.  Mary's  College 

Shelby  Female  College.. . 

St.  Paul  Seminary 

Trenton  High  School 


PRINCIPAL. 


POST  OFFICE. 


Blowing  Rock. 
Cronly. 
Paw  Creek 
Cora. 

Dallas. 

Hendersonville. 

Kinston. 

Littleton. 

Mt.  Pleasant. 

Mt.  Pleasant. 

Belmont. 

Shelby. 

Hickory. 

Trenton. 


SCHOOLS  FOR  THE  COLORED  RACE. 


Normal  and  Industrial 

State  Normal 

State  Normal 

State  Normal 

State  Normal , 

State  Normal 

Bennett  Seminary 

Waters  Institute Rev.  J.  C.  Brown. 

Christain  Institute 


Kittrell. 

Elizabeth  City. 

Salisbury. 

Franklinton. 

Plymouth. 

Fayetteville. 

Greensboro. 

Winton. 

Franklinton. 


AGRICULTURAL  AND  flECHANICAL  COLLEGE  FOR  THE 
COLORED  RACE. 

Recognizing  the  need  of  practical  training  for  the  young  men  of 
the  colored  race,  and  with  a  view  to  aid  them  in  maintaining  them- 
selves in  the  higher  grades  of  industrial  life,  the  I^egislature  of  North 
Carolina,  at  the  session  of  1891,  enacted  '*  that  a  College  of  Agricul- 
ture and  Mechanic  Arts,  be  established  for  the  colored  race,  to  be 
located  at  some  eligible  place  within  the  State,  to  be  selected  by  the 
Board  of  Trustees  "  charged  with  the  management  of  the  institution. 
The  corporate  name  is  "The  Agricultural  and  Mechanical  College 
for  the  colored  Race.  " 

The  selections  of  the  location  was  open  to  the  offers  of  the 
various  communities  desirous  of  the  presence  of  the  institution,  and 
Greensboro  became  the  successful  bidder. 

In  addition  to  the  annual  appropriation  of  $2,500,  the  State 
appropriates  $5,000  a  year  for  improvements.  The  United  States, 
under  the  "Morrill  Act"  appropriates  $7,500  to  this  institution. 
This  money  cannot  be  used  for  the  construction  of  buildings  or  pur- 
chase of  land. 

The  main  building  contains  offices  and  class  rooms  on  first  and 
second  floors,  and  a  large  chapel  on  second  floor.     In  the  basement 


268  North  Carolina  and  its  Rksourcks. 

are  kitchen  and  large  dining  room,  also  a  fully  equipped  kitchen  for 
instruction  in  cooking.  This  is  a  very  handsome  brick  building  with 
slate  roof  costing  $16,000.  It  is  heated  by  steam.  There  is  a  good 
library  in  this  building  which  contains  a  fine  selection  of  books 
which  is  being  added  to  each  year. 

The  Mechanical  building,  which  cost  $7,000  was  constructed 
during  the  summer  and  fall  of  1895.  It  is  the  finest  building  of  the 
kind  in  the  southern  states.  The  equipment  is  of  the  highest  stand- 
ard. The  blacksmith  shop  and  the  wood  working  department  are 
complete.  The  chemical  laboratory  is  temporarily  located  in  this 
building  and  is  complete  in  all  its  appointments.  In  this  building  are 
taught  all  the  trades,  and  every  branch  of  Mechanics.  The  building 
is  heated  by  steam  and  lighted  by  gas. 

The  Agricultural  Department  is  fully  equipped,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  barn  for  instruction,  which  will  be  built  soon.  There  is  a 
complete  green-house  connected  with  Botanical  Department. 

A  building  in  which  is  a  steam  laundry  for  instruction,  as  well  as 
use,  is  in  the  rear  of  the  main  building. 

A  large  dormitory  with  rooms  to  accommodate  one  hundred 
students  completes  the  number  of  buildings.  This  building  is  heated 
by  hot  water.     Cost  $8,000. 

The  course  of  instruction  in  the  college  embraces  English  and 
Mathematics,  and  everything  relating  to  the  science  of  agriculture 
and  the  mechanic  arts. 

Board  of  Trustees  1896— First  Congressional  District,  Hugh 
Cole;  Second  Congressional  District,  W.  W.  Long;  Third  Con- 
gressional District,  H.  R.  Tyson;  Fourth  Congressional  District,  T. 
F.  Debnam;  Fifth  Congressional  District,  T.  B.  Keogh;  Sixth  Con- 
gressional District,  J.  B.  Dudley;  Seventh  Congressional  District,  J. 
B.  Holman;  Eighth  Congressional  District,  E.  W.  Gray;  Ninth  Con- 
gressional District,  W.  H.  McClure;  President,  T.  B.  Keogh,  Greens- 
boro, N.  C;  Secretary,  J. B.  Dudley,  Wilmington,  N.  C;  Treasurer, 
R.  W.  Murrey,  Greensboro,  N.  C. 

SHAW  UNIVERSITY. 

This  institution  had  its  origin  in  the  interest  of  the  Rev.  H.  M. 
Tupper,  D.  D.,  of  Manson,  Mass.,  who  was  a  private  during  the  war, 
and,  after  the  cessation  of  hostilities,  was  sent  to  Raleigh,  N.  C,  as 
a  missonary  to  the  colored  people,  founding  a  church  and  opening 
the  school  which  gradually  expanded  into  the  now  extensive  and 
well  endowed  Shaw  University.     The  University  owes  its  name  to 


Education.  269 

the  benefaction  of  Hon.  Elijah  Shaw,  of  Wales,  Mass.,  who  pledged 
to  the  aid  of  Dr.  Tapper's  movement  the  sum  of  $5,000. 

The  property  of  the  late  General  Daniel  M.  Barringer  was  soon 
afterwards  purchased  for  $13,000. 

The  University  is  now  well  established,  with  grounds,  handsome 
and  capacious  buildings,  all  brick,  with  collegiate  and  missionary 
training  buildings,  boarding-houses,  chapel,  medical,  pharmaceutical 
and  law-school  buildings  and  all  the  appliances  for  a  University 
course. 

There  is  the  Theological  department,  in  which  young  men  are 
trained  for  the  ministry;  the  missionary  training  school  in  which 
christian  women  are  trained  for  missionary  service;  the  Leonard 
Medical  school,  with  a  fine  building  and  a  corps  of  competent 
teachers;  the  Law  department,  and  the  female  department,  pro- 
vided with  a  capacious  four-story  brick  building;  the  whole  with 
ample  and  shaded  and  ornamented  grounds,  giving  token  of  a  very 
remarkable  change  in  the  condition  of  the  colored  race.  The  value 
of  the  whole  property  is  estimated  at  $175,000,  free  from  encumbrance. 
Chas.  F.  Meserve,  A.  M.,  is  successor  of  Rev.  H.  M.  Tupper,  who 
died  in  1893. 

Among  the  students  are  representatives  from  most  of  the 
southern  States,  some  from  the  northern  States,  two  from  the  West 
Indies,  four  from  South  America,  one  from  the  gold  coast  of  Africa 
and  three  from  the  Congo. 

The  total  attendance  for  the  last  term  was  362. 

ST.  AUQU5TINE  NORflAL  SCHOOL. 

This  is  a  normal  school  and  collegiate  institute  for  colored  students 
of  both  sexes.  It  is  under  the  control  of  the  Episcopal  Church  of 
North  Carolina,  and  was  established  out  of  the  proceeds  of  a  bequest 
of  $40,000  made  by  a  citizen  of  Pennsylvania.  It  is  situated  in  the 
suburbs  of  Raleigh,  and  is  provided  with  large  four-story  buildings  for 
the  accommodation  of  young  men  and  girls.  It  also  has  a  beautiful 
stone  chapel,  a  stone  library  and  a  large  industrial  building.  The 
school  was  established  in  1 867  and  has  trained  several  hundred  teachers. 
About  twenty  of  the  colored  clergy  of  the  Episcopal  church  received 
here  their  entire  training.  In  1894  the  theological  department  was 
given  up  in  order  that  greater  attention  might  be  paid  to  the  collegiate 
studies  of  young  men  preparing  for  the  ministry. 

There  are  now  twelve  teachers  and  225  students.  $7.00  per 
month  will  pay  board  and  tuition,  and  all  the  students  pay  part  of 
this  by  their  own  work. 


270  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

The  girls  are  carefully  trained  in  cooking  and  sewing,  and  some 
of  the  young  men  in  carpentering  and  brick-laying.  The  Rev.  A.  B. 
Hunter  is  Principal. 

SLATER  INDUSTRIAL  ACADEMY  AND  STATE  NORMAL 

SCHOOL. 

This  institution,  named  for  John  F.  Slater,  who  bequeathed  a 
million  dollars  for  the  industrial  training  of  the  negroes  of  the  South, 
was  established  in  1892,  through  the  interests  and  liberality  of  citizens 
of  Winston  and  Salem,  and  was  adopted  by  the  State  as  a  Normal 
school  in  1895,  the  General  Assembly  appropriating  $1,000  per  annum 
towards  its  support. 

Its  mission  is  for  the  industrial  and  higher  training  of  the  colored 
youth  of  both  sexes,  and  has  four  departments  of  instruction,  viz: — 
Normal,  Grammar  School,  Primary  and  Industrial.  Under  the  latter, 
are  included  Sewing,  Cooking,  Shoe-making,  Agriculture,  Wood- 
working, &c. 

A  large  number  of  pupils  are  in  attendance,  and  many  actual 
teachers  are  attending  the  Normal  department. 

The  site  of  the  institution  is  Columbian  Heights,  a  suburb  of 
Winston-Salem.  Its  high  and  rolling  elevation  places  it  within  easy 
reach  of  the  mountain  breezes,  thus  affording  a  climate  pure  and 
wholesome.     Professor  S.  G.  Atkins,  Winston,  is  President. 

Of  this  institution,  Col.  A.  K.  McClure,  of  Philadelphia,  said  re- 
cently: "It  promises  most  for  the  South  of  any  institution  I  know 
anything  about." 

LIVINGSTONE  COLLEGE. 

This  institution,  originating  in  the  North  Carolina  Conference  of 
the  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Zion  Church,  is  located  at  Salisbury. 

The  institution  was  originally  chartered  under  the  name  of  Zion 
Wesley  College — subsequently  changed  to  Livingstone  College. 
Beginning  with  three  teachers  and  three  pupils,  there  are  now  twelve 
instructors  and  two  hundred  and  fifty  students.  The  institution 
is  conducted  in  four  large  buildings,  with  fifty  acres  attached,  the 
whole  property  being  valued  at  $100,000.  Besides  the  main  build- 
ing, there  are  seven  or  eight  cottages  for  the  use  of  the  instructors. 
The  school  is  owned,  taught  and  controlled  by  negroes.  The  entire 
teaching  force  is  paid  by  the  colored  people  themselves. 

This  institution  is  supported  by  the  African  Methodist  Episcopal 
Zion  Church.  They  appropriate  $6,000  for  its  maintenance  every 
year.     In   addition  to  this  amount,  the  churches  give  $2,000  every 


Education.  271 

year  as  "Children's  Day' '  money.    The  students  pay  towards  their  own 
support  about  $4,000  every  year. 

The  late  president,  Rev.  J.  C.  Price,  D.  D.,  a  full-blooded  negro, 
a  man  of  fine  ability  and  with  remarkable  gifts  of  oratory,  made  the 
following  statement: 

* '  As  range  of  instruction  we  have  three  regular  departments — 
preparatory,  normal  and  classical.  The  last  course  is  also  termed 
college  course,  and  the  person  completing  the  studies  of  this  course, 
receives  the  degree  of  A.  B.  The  special  work  of  the  normal,  of 
course,  is  the  preparation  of  teachers  and  for  others  who  cannot  or  do 
not  take  the  college  course.  Number  of  faculty  twelve,  including 
ofl&cers. 

Our  buildings  are  large  and  commodious.  One  building  is  100x40 
and  four  stories  high,  brick;  another  is  60  x  40,  four  stories,  brick; 
another  is  91  x  38,  three  stories,  frame;  another  is  66  x  36,  two 
stories,  brick.  Students  not  admitted  under  twelve.  Of  250  students, 
200  are  from  other  towns  and  States.  Last  year  we  had  seventeen 
States  and  seventy-five  towns  and  cities  represented  in  the  institution. 
The  sexes  are  about  equally  divided.  The  buildings  have  been  donated 
the  institution  by  such  men  as  the  late  Hon.  Wm.  E.  Dodge,  Senator 
Eeland  Stanford,  Hon.  C.  P.  Huntington  and  Mr.  Stephen  Ballard. 
We  have  more  than  a  score  of  friends  north  and  south,  who  give 
scholarships  to  the  institution  for  the  purpose  of  aiding  (not  support- 
ing) students." 

Dr.  W.  H.  Goler  succeeded  Dr.  Price  as  president,  and  has  suc- 
cessfully conducted  the  affairs  of  the  institution.  Improvements  have 
been  made  upon  the  grounds  and  buildings,  and  the  College  continues 
to  improve  in  every  respect.  In  addition  to  the  Literary,  there  is  a 
Theological  course,  which  prepares  young  men  for  the  Christian 
ministry,  thus  improving  the  manner  of  worship  among  the  colored 

people. 

BIDDLE  UNIVERSITY. 

Biddle  University,  located  at  Charlotte,  is  a  collegiate  institu- 
tion, under  the  auspices  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  or,  more  specifi- 
cally, under  the  care  of  the  Board  of  Missions  for  Freedmen  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United  States,  Pittsburg,  Pa.  The  uni- 
versity occupies  large  and  fine  buildings  in  Charlotte,  and  is  named 
in  honor  of  Major  Henry  J.  Biddle,  of  Philadelphia,  whose  widow  is 
now  one  of  its  most  liberal  supporters.  The  objects  of  the  institution 
are  the  education  of  colored  preachers  and  teachers,  and  fitting  pupils 
for  the  useful  avocations  of  life.  It  has  a  Theological  department, 
with  a  corps  of  five  professors,  with  a  course  of  three  years;  a  College 


272  North  Carolina  and  its  REr.ouRCKS. 

course,  with  a  corps  of  six  professors  and  a  course  of  four  years,  with 
the  usual  college  designation  of  classes.  The  College  course  embraces 
two  courses  of  study — the  classical  and  the  scientific — the  students  of 
the  former  receiving  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts  on  graduation; 
the  other  that  of  Bachelor  of  Science.  There  is  also  a  Preparatory 
and  Normal  department,  with  its  appropriate  faculty;  and  Industrial 
department,  in  which  the  mechanical  trades  are  taught,  and  the 
Home  department,  which  embraces  chiefly  the  domestic  and  internal 
order  of  the  college  buildings  and  grounds.  The  whole  number  of 
students  for  1895-6  is  249,  in  all  the  departments,  viz.:  Theological, 
22;  Collegiate,  62;  Preparatory  and  Normal,  162.  The  president  of 
University  is  the  Rev.  D.  J.  Sanders,  D.  D. 

SCOTIA  SEMINARY. 

Scotia  Seminary,  located  at  Concord,  Cabarrus  County,  is 
an  institution  for  colored  girls,  under  the  auspices  of  the  Northern 
Presbyterian  Church.  The  buildings  are  large  and  handsome.  he 
object  of  the  institution  is  to  give  an  education  to  colored  girls  of  a 
useful  and  practical  kind,  as  well  as  a  due  share  of  the  ornamental 
branches,  and  with  special  regard  to  religious  and  moral  training. 
The  Rev.  D.  J.  Satterfield,  D.  D.,  is  President.  The  patronage  is 
good,  as  shown  by  the  following  general  summary: 

Normal  and  Scientific  Departments 12 

Grammar  School  "  141 

Preparatory  "  132 

Total 285 

Boarding  Pupils 281 

Day  Scholars 4 

Total 285 

FRANKLINTON  CHRISTIAN  COLLEGE. 

This  institution,  located  at  Franklinton,  in  Franklin  county, 
furnishes  free  tuition  for  all  colored  youth  residing  in  North  Carolina 
and  Virginia.  It  was  founded  in  1880  and  was  chartered  in  1891. 
It  has  three  courses  of  study — Scientific,  Normal  and  Theological. 
It  is  supported  by  the  Christain  denomination,  and  is  managed  by  a 
board  of  control  elected  by  the  American  Christain  Convention. 
There  are  three  buildings  situated  in  a  beautiful  oak  grove — College 
building,  Boarding  hall  and  the  President's  residence.  Its  special 
work  is  fitting  teachers  and  ministers  for  their  work. 

The  enrollment  of  students  for  1895-96  was  one  hundred  and 
fifty  one. 


Education.  273 

TEACHERS'  ASSEMBLY. 

North  Carolina  teachers  are  progressive,  and  to  promote  the 
best  educational  interests  of  the  State  an  organization  known  as  the 
North  Carolina  Teachers'  Assembly  was  effected  some  j^ears  ago. 
This  has  grown  to  such  proportions  both  in  interest  and  numbers,  as 
to  be  really  a  great  educational  convention.  It  brings  together 
annually  the  teachers  from  every  section,  and  from  every  grade  of 
school  and  college  work.  Questions  relating  to  the  methods  of 
teaching  or  affecting  the  educational  sj^stem  of  the  State  are  dis- 
cussed with  the  view,  alwaj's,  of  bettering  the  opportunities  of  the 
people  for  education.  The  State  Normal  and  Industrial  School 
for  women  was  established  largely  through  its  efforts,  and  its 
influence  has  been  recognized  by  legislative  bodies  in  other  educa- 
tional matters.  The  leading  teachers  of  the  State  are  its  supporters. 
Formerly  its  meetings  were  regularlj^  held  at  Morehead,  but  a  plan 
of  alternation  now  adopted  takes  it  to  the  mountains  or  seashore  at 
the  pleasure  of  the  Association.  Its  officers  have  always  been  men 
of  ability  and  leaders  in  educational  thought.  J.  Y.  Jo^^ner,  Greens- 
boro, is  President,  W.  L.  Poteat,  Wake  Forest,  Vice-President,  and 
Charles  J.  Parker,  Raleigh,  Secretary. 


HEALTH. 


The  geographical  location  and  the  geological  formation  of  the  State 
are  peculiarly  adapted  to  the  production  of  those  conditions  which  make 
for  health  in  general.  As  to  climate,  we  occupy  the  vantage-ground 
of  the  golden  mean,  inclining  somewhat  to  the  warmer  side.  It  is 
neither  too  hot  nor  too  cold.  While  we  have  a  generous  summer, 
long  enough  to  mature  two  crops  of  many  kinds,  the  thermometer 
does  not  rise  as  high  as  it  often  does  far  to  the  northward  of  us,  and 
the  summer  temperature  is  not  usually  oppressive.  We  also  have  a 
sufficiency  of  winter,  with  occasional  light  snows,  and  once  in  every 
few  j^ears,  ice  thick  enough  to  skate  on  in  safety,  and  wdth  rain  and 
dark  days,  but  on  the  whole  it  is  bright  and  sunshiny.  The  late 
Bishop  lyyman,  who  lived  many  years  in  Ital}'-,  said  that  the  climate 
of  Raleigh  was  superior  to  that  of  Florence — more  sunshine  in  it.  Our 
winters  are  just  long  enough  and  severe  enough  to  restore  the  snap  and 
vigor  and  elasticity  that  ma}^  have  been  weakened  by  the  summer — 
we  are  enabled  to  fully  recoup  any  physical  w' astes  attributable  to  long 

IS 


274  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

continued  heat.  The  conditions,  so  far  as  they  relate  to  the  proportion 
of  heat  and  cold,  are  just  those  which,  while  permitting  easy  and 
comfortable  living  from  the  opportunites  afforded  for  work  throughout 
the  entire  year — the  special  advantage  of  the  South — do  not  enervate 
and  weaken  the  desire  and  power  of  work.  In  a  word,  the  conditions 
are  exactly  suited  to  the  healthful  and  pleasant  existence  of  the 
average  man. 

Although  it  is  not  as  dry  as  it  is  in  some  sections  of  our  country, 
still  in  our  long-leaf  pine,  sand-hill  region,  where  the  porus  soil  takes 
up  the  water  so  rapidly  that  one  can  walk  dry-shod  in  a  half-hour 
after  the  heaviest  rain,  it  is  dry  enough  for  the  consumptive,  and  yet 
he  can  enjoy  the  sight  and  smell  of  the  "  blessed  rain  from  heaven," 
and  be  lulled  to  sleep  by  its  patter  on  the  roof.  Neither  can  we  boast 
so  great  elevation  as  some  other  localities,  but  in  the  matter  of  alti- 
tude we  have  sufl&cient  variety,  from  the  sea-level  to  Mitchell's  Peak 
of  nearly  7,000  feet,  to  suit  any  constitution.  Roan  mountain,  which 
it  is  interesting  to  know  has  a  greater  variety  of  flora  between  its 
summit  and  half-way  to  its  base  than  the  whole  continent  of  Europe,  is 
noted  for  the  relief  its  rare  pure  air  affords  to  the  sufferer  from  hay- 
fever.  For  consumptive,  the  high  mountain  plateau  of  Asheville  and 
vicinity,  including  particularly,  the  country  about  Highlands  and 
Blowing  Rock,  affords  very  favorable  conditions.  To  those  of  this 
class  who  do  not  bear  high  altitudes  well,  the  pure  dry  air  of 
the  pine-clad  sand-hills,  of  Moore  and  adjoining  counties,  of  which 
Southern  Pines  is  the  centre,  often  proves  a  healing  balm.  It  is  said 
by  many  who  have  tried  the  pine-country  further  south  and  that  of  our 
State,  both,  that  they  prefer  the  latter  because  the  climate  is  not  so 
enervating. 

Although  it  must,  in  candor,  be  said  that  malarial  diseases  occur 
in  certain  sections  of  the  State — as  they  do  in  many  favored  sections 
of  higher  latitude — they  are  of  a  milder  type,  less  malignant  than  in 
warmer  regions.  This  class  of  diseases  has,  however,  been  robbed  of 
its  terrors  since  the  recent  demonstration  of  the  fact  that  they  are 
chiefly,  if  not  entirely,  attributable  to  the  drinking  of  surface  water 
and  not  to  bad  air.  (For  evidence  on  this  point  apply  to  the  Secre- 
tary of  the  State  Board  of  Health,  at  Raleigh,  for  a  copy  of  the 
health  pamphlet  on  ' '  Drinking  Water  in  its  Relation  to  Malarial  dis- 
eases.") It  is  now  practically  in  the  power  of  every  person  to 
protect  himself  from  malaria,  if  he  desires  to  do  so  by  confining  him- 
self to  the  water  of  cisterns  and  deep  bored  wells.  And  it  is  to  be 
noted  as  an  interesting  fact  that  some  of  the  more  serious  and  fatal 
diseases  common  to  every  section  of  the  globe,  as  typhoid  fever,  for 


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VIEWS    AROUND    HOT    SPRINGS  —  SOUTHERN    RAILWAY. 


HeaIvTh.  275 

example,  are  of  a  milder  type  and  less  deadly  than  in  other  localities 
notfequented  by  \hQ  Plasmodium  malariae. 

In  this  day  of  scientific  accuracy,  an  appeal  to  carefully  collated 
facts  is  desirable.  Upon  turning  to  the  mortuary  tables  of  the  Fifth 
Biennial  Report  of  the  State  Board  of  Health,  we  find  that  the  aver- 
age total  death-rate  in  the  larger  cities  and  towns  where  the  records 
are  carefully  kept  is  15.5  per  thousand — for  the  whites  12.5,  and  for 
the  colored  20.  It  is  interesting  to  note  that  in  those  located  in  the 
so-called  malarious  section  the  death-rate  is  actually  less  than  the 
average  for  the  whole  number. 

The  machinery  provided  by  the  State  for  protecting  the 
health  of  its  citizens,  consists  of  a  State  Board  and  of  County 
Superintendents  of  Health — to  say  nothing  of  municipal  organi- 
zations for  that  purpose.  The  former  has  general  supervision  of 
the  sanitary  interests  of  the  people,  and  the  latter  are  charged 
with  the  particular  care  of  those  in  their  respective  counties.  Any 
special  information  that  may  be  desired  can  be  obtained  by  addressing 
the  Secretary  of  the  State  Board  at  Raleigh. 

niNERAL  SPRINGS. 

Perhaps  this  state,  with  all  its  advantages  of  health,  climate,  soil 
and  natural  resource,  stands  as  little  in  need  of  the  health-giving 
waters  so  widely  distributed  by  nature's  munificent  hand,  as  any  on 
the  continent.  But  it  seems  that  the  scriptural  assertion  that  "unto 
every  one  that  hath  shall  be  given,"  holds  good  with  North  Caro- 
lina. Certainly  most  all  parts  of  the  State  boast  of  some  mineral 
spring  whose  waters  bring  health  by  assisting  nature  in  restoring  the 
afflicted.  True,  these  are  mostly  of  local  fame,  but  there  are  some, 
which,  without  disparagement  to  the  others,  may  be  briefly  alluded 
to  because  of  accessibility  and  that  indispensible  desideratum — good 
hotels 

Hot  Springs. 

Some  thirty-seven  miles  west  of  Asheville,  on  the  French  Broad 
river,  is  located  the  Hot  Springs,  known  for  nearly  a  century  as 
Warm  Springs,  and  famed  for  the  virtue  of  its  thermal  waters.  The 
waters  bubble  in  bold  volume  near  the  river  at  a  temperature  varying 
from  98°  to  104°,  and  it  is  claimed  are  very  effective  in  baths  and  for 
drinking,  for  rheumatism,  gout,  nervous  prostration,  dyspepsia  and  in 
some  forms  of  malarial  trouble. 

The  location  on  the  Western  North  Carolina  railroad,  a  branch  of 
the  Southern,  is  most  desirable;  the  springs  are  in  a  beautiful  valley 
nearly  a  mile  in  width  by  three  or  four  miles  in  length,  surrounded 


276  North  Caroi^ina  and  its  Resource;s. 

by  towering  mountains,  save  where  ttie  river  cuts  its  v/ay.  All  the 
conveniences  of  modern  fashionable  hotels  are  provided.  The  bathing 
facilities  are  ample  and  lavish.  It  is  the  resort  of  fashion  and  wealth 
as  well  as  the  afflicted. 

Haywood  Whitb  Sulphur  Springs. 

Within  a  fraction  of  a  mile  from  the  town  of  Waynesville  on 
the  Murphy  branch  of  the  Western  North  Carolina  railroad,  is  the 
charmingly  located  White  Sulphur  Springs.  The  water  is  distinctly 
sulphur,  is  cool  and  not  unpleasant  to  the  taste,  and  is  claimed  to  be 
ef&cient  when  taken  fresh  from  the  spring,  in  troubles  requiring  either 
diuretic  or  diaphoretic  treatment.  It  is  not  a  portable  water.  One  of  the 
chief  (aside  from  the  beneficent  water)  pleasures  of  a  visit  to  this 
resort  is  the  fine  climate  and  unsurpassed  scenery.  The  beauties  of 
Richland  creek  alone  would  fill  a  volume  on  art,  while  the  Balsams, 
more  than  6,000  feet  in  height,  rise  in  majestic  grandeur  on  all  sides. 
The  hotel  is  well  equipped  to  entertain  the  guests  who  flock  to  its 
hospitable  board  each  season.  And  in  this  respect  the  town  of 
Waynesville  divides  the  honors,  as  it  is  a  much  frequented  resort. 

Glkn  Ai,pine;  Springs. 

Beautifully  situated  among  the  South  mountains  in  Burke  county 
and  some  eleven  miles  from  Morgan  ton,  and  which  may  also  be 
reached  from  Glen  Alpine  station  on  the  Western  North  Carolina 
railroad,  is  the  Glen  Alpine  Springs.  The  water  contains  quite  a 
variety  of  beneficial  mineral,  such  as  potassium  and  sodium  sulphate, 
calcium  and  magnesium  carbonate,  carbonate  of  iron,  &c.  There  a 
small  but  comfortable  hotel  awaits  the  guests. 

Connelly  Springs. 

This  favorite  resort  is  ten  miles  west  of  Hickory, at  Connelly  sta- 
tion, on  the  Western  North  Carolina  railroad.  It  has  been 
growing  in  popularity  for  a  number  of  years,  and  to  its  chalybeate 
waters  are  attributed  many  virtues,  being  diuretic  in  effect,  as  well  as 
efi&cacious  in  dyspepsia  and  like  troubles.  The  hotel  is  large  and 
affords  many  comforts  and  conveniences.  It  is  within  a  few  yards  of 
the  railroad  track,  and  far  enough  west  to  afford  a  pleasant  summer 
climate  for  its  large  patronage. 


Health.  277 


Sparkling  Catawba  Springs. 

Bigtit  miles  north  from  Hickory,  on  the  Western  North  Carolina, 
and  Chester  and  Lenoir  railroads,  situate  in  a  vast  grove  of  forest 
trees,  may  be  found  the  ever  popular  Sparkling  Catawba  Springs, 
The  country  surrounding  the  springs  is  beautiful,  partly  wooded  and 
partly  in  field  and  orchard,  affording  luscious  fruits  in  season. 

"The  hotel  accommodations  are  very  full,  and  the  Springs  have 
maintained  good  repute  for  excellence  of  fare.  The  waters  of  the 
Springs  embrace  blue  and  white  sulphur,  and  chalybeate,  and,  from 
the  known  benefit  derived  by  well-attested  cures  in  their  use  as  an 
alterative  and  tonic  influence  over  the  lymphatic  and  secretive  glands 
they  are  unsurpassed,  and  never  fail  to  strengthen  the  gastric  juices 
of  the  stomach,  and  increase  the  appetite,  assist  the  digestion  and 
promote  the  assimilation  of  food,  thereby  imparting  tone  and  health 
to  the  person.  By  the  use  of  these  mineral  waters,  diseases  of  the 
liver,  dyspepsia,  vertigo,  neuralgia,  ophthalmia  or  sore  eyes,  paraly- 
sis, spinal  affection,  rheumatism,  scrofula,  gravel,  diabetes,  kidney 
and  urinary  diseases,  are  greatly  relieved." 

Barium  Springs. 

A  few  miles  from  Statesville,  in  Iredell  county,  is  situated, 
as  formerly  known,  the  "Poison  Spring."  It  is  now  called  the  Barium 
Spring.  Analyses  show  that  it  contains,  in  varying  proportions, 
barium,  chloride  and  sulphate,  iron,  soda,  sulphur,  magnesia  and 
phosphoric  acid,  in  such  combinations  as  to  render  it  a  curative  and 
tonic  agent,  the  equal  of  any  mineral  water  known.  It  has  no  visible 
outflow,  and  the  water  remains  at  a  constant  level,  never  freezes, 
never  stagnates,  and  it  will  keep  pure  and  retain  its  curative  effi- 
ciency indefinitely.  These  remarkable  springs  were  well  known  to  the 
Indians  and  their  waters  were  so  highly  esteemed  by  them  for  their 
potent  curative  properties  that  they  made  the  locality  a  regular  ren- 
dezvous, as  is  proven  by  tradition  and  by  numerous  evidences  of  their 
former  occupation. 

There  is  no  developement  of  the  locality  as  a  resort,  but  the 
Presbyterian  Orphanage  is  located  near  the  spring.  It  is  a  remark- 
ably healthy  locality. 

Moore  Spring. 

Not  far  from  Danbury,  in  Stokes  county,  is  situate  the  Moore 
Spring,  which  is  said  to  be  remarkable  for  its  efficacy  in  the  treat- 
ment of  cutaneous  affections  and  blood  impurities.  It  is  not  a  resort, 
but  is  remarkable  from  the  mineral  contents  of  its  waters.     Chemists 


278  North  CaroivIna  and  its  Resources. 

report  potassium  and  sodium  sulphates,  sodium  chloride  and  phos- 
phate, calcium  and  magnesium  carbonates  in  rather  astonishing 
quantities. 

Piedmont  Springs. 
Also  in  Stokes  county,  near  Danbury,  are   to  be  found  the  Pied- 
mont Springs,  which  are  in  high  repute,  as   a   tonic   and   alterative 
water.     There  is  a  good    hotel  large  enough  to   accommodate  the 
visitors  annually  seeking  the  elevated  climate  and  curative  waters. 

Bromine- Arsenic  Springs. 
This  mineral  spring  is  located  at  Grumpier  Post  Office,  in  Ashe 
county,  on  north  fork  of  New  river,  and  in  a  picturesque,  healthy 
climate.  The  water,  as  shown  by  analysis,  contains  beside  the  usual 
ingredients  sodium  arseniate  and  sodium  bromide — hence  the  name. 
It  is  a  portable  water  and  is  recommended  for  eczema,  nausea, 
debility,  dyspepsia,  rheumatism  and  all  blood,  skin,  stomach,  kidney 
and  nervous  complaints.  A  hotel  which  will  accommodate  an  hun- 
dred guests,  royal  porcelain  baths  and  a  good  table  await  the  guests. 
The  water  is  sold  in  many  parts  of  the  United  States.  The  springs 
are  reached  only  by  hacks  or  private  conveyance  over  good  mountain 
roads  from  the  Virginia  side  and  from  points  on  the  Western  North 
Carolina  branch  of  the  Southern  railroad  in  North  Carolina. 

Cleveland  Springs. 
These  are  about  two  miles  from  Shelby,  which  place  is  reached 
both  by  the  Carolina  Central  and  the  Three  C's  roads,  and  are 
situated  in  a  region  of  grandly  rolling  hills.  The  hotel  accommoda- 
tions are  ample  and  agreeable  in  all  particulars,  and  the  resort  to  these 
springs  is  large.  The  springs  are  many  and  of  varied  character,  the 
waters  flowing  in  large  volume.  In  the  midst  of  its  verdant  hills  and 
shady  groves  flow  waters  from  a  dozen  springs,  each  one  containing 
mineral  qualities  varying  in  their  combinations  and  effects  to  such  a 
degree  that  for  the  treatment  of  certain  diseases  the  White  Sulphur  is 
the  panacea;  for  some  others  the  Red  Sulphur  and  Iodine  are  required; 
for  others  the  Chalybeate  is  best  suited,  whilst  for  others  the  best 
results  are  obtained  by  drinking  the  waters  of  several  alternately- 
The  ailments  which  seem  to  be  mostly  under  the  control  of  these 
waters  are  dyspepsia,  rheumatism,  malarial  troubles,  insomnia,  etc. 

Lincoln  Lithia  Springs. 
These  springs  are  located  one  mile  from  the  town  of  lyincolnton 
on   the   Seaboard   Air   Line   railroad,  and  in  the  Piedmont  Plateau 
region  of  the  State,  and  surrounded  by  a  beautiful   undulating  farm 


Health.  279 

country  noted  for  its  salubrious  climate.  The  spring  is  bold,  and  the 
waters  contain,  as  shown  by  analyses,  in  each  gallon  of  277  cubic 
inches,  2.81  grains  bicarbonate  of  lithia,  besides  sulphate  of  potash 
and  lime,  and  bicarbonates  of  iron,  lime,  magnesia  and  soda.  It  is 
noted  among  the  better  lithia  waters  of  the  country,  and  is  highly 
recommended  in  the  treatment  of  Bright's  disease,  bladder  and  kidney 
troubles,  gout,  rheumatism,  dyspepsia  and  nervous  diseases.  It  is 
a  portable  water  and  has  a  wide  distribution,  and  it  is  highly  praised 
by  those  who  have  tested  its  virtues.  The  L,incoln  L^ithia  Inn  is  a 
new  hotel  with  modern  appointments ;  is  well  kept  and  guests  find  in 
it  a  pleasant  environment.  In  the  autumn  and  winter  months  guests 
may  find  abundant  quail  shooting  in  vicinage. 

EivIwErbee;  Springs. 
These  springs  are  situated  about  twelve  miles  north  of  Rocking- 
ham in  Richmond  county,  and  are  locally  much  valued.  The  waters 
have  an  abundant  flow  and  consist  largely  of  iron  and  sulphur  in  their 
mineral  contents.  Remarkable  as  it  may  seem,  the  waters  of  this 
resort  are  reported  as  an  effective  remedy  for  hay  fever.  While  the 
patients  suffering  from  this  malady  have  been  few,  there  is  no  failure 
to  cure  recorded  against  the  springs. 

Jackson  Springs. 
This  health  resort  is  situated  in  Moore  county,  four  miles  from 
West  End,  on  the  Aberdeen  and  West  End  railroad,  and  some  fif- 
teen miles  west  of  Southern  Pines.  The  flow  of  the  springs  form  a 
rivulet  of  clear,  cool  water.  The  value  of  the  springs  "as  a  remedy 
for  and  cure  of  indigestion  in  all  its  forms,  particularly  dyspepsia 
and  diarrhoeal  diseases,  kidney  and  bladder  troubles,  dropsy,  cystitis 
and  all  debilitating  causes  is  well-known."  The  location  of  the 
hotel,  which  is  entirely  comfortable,  near  the  springs,  is  in  the  heart 
of  the  long-leaf  pine  and  the  deep  sand  section  of  the  State,  the 
natural  sanitarium  for  those  afflicted  with  lung  diseases,  makes  the 
springs  all  the  more  valuable.  The  healing  influence  of  inhaling  the 
odors  of  the  long-leaf  pine  and  living  in  and  breathing  the  pure  atmos- 
phere of  this  deep  sand  drainage  is  not  to  be  underestimated. 

Red  Springs. 
In  Robeson  county,  on  the  Cape  Fear  and  Yadkin  Valley 
railroad,  at  a  station  bearing  its  name,  are  located  the  Red  Springs 
the  medicinal  virtue  of  whose  waters  has  been  known  for  an 
hundred  years.  There  are  two  springs,  both  are  strongly  chalybeate, 
showing  respectively  1.35  and  1.90  per  cent,  of  bicarbonate  of  iron, 


28o  North  Carolina  and  it.'s  Resources. 

■  .^ 

while  their  other  mineral  contents  are  desirable  in  a  health  water. 
The  Hotel  Townsent  is  open  all  the  year,  is  new  and  modern  in  its 
appointments,  and  is  beautifully  located  in  a  grove  of  trees.  The 
surrounding  country  and  streams  afford  sport  during  winter  and 
summer  with  gun  and  rod  to  guests  who  are  able  or  inclined  to  take 
the  exercise. 

Panacea  Springs. 

These  celebrated  springs  are  situated  near  I^ittleton,  on  the 
Raleigh  and  Gaston  branch  of  the  Seaboard  Air  I^ine  railroad. 
There  is  a  good  hotel  on  the  premises,  but  as  the  water  is  portable, 
its  patronage  is  very  nearly  local. 

The  waters  have  only  become  widely. known  during  the  past  few 
years,  but  have  already  acquired  fame  at  home  and  abroad.  The 
claims  for  efl&cacy  in  many  maladies  are  very  extensive,  but  appear 
to  be  well  sustained.  For  dyspepsia  they  are  said  to  be  very  bene- 
ficial; also  for  chronic  diarrhoea,  scrofula,  kidney  troubles  and  other 
deseases.  The  waters  lose  none  of  their  virtues  by  transportation, 
and  are  sold  by  the  drug  stores  throughout  this  and  the  adjoining 
States. 

The  Seven  Springs. 

They  are  as  remarkable  for  their  locality  and  the  nature  of  their 
surroundings  as  for  their  genuine  virtues.  They  are  in  the  south- 
east corner  of  Wayne  county,  eighteen  miles  from  both  Kinston  and 
Goldsboro,  but  most  readily  and  quickly  reached  from  lyaGrange,  on 
the  Atlantic  and  North  Carolina  railroad,  seven  miles  north  of  the 
springs.  The  springs  lie  almost  immediately  on  the  banks  of  the 
Neuse  river. 

"The  springs,  as  their  title  implies,  are  seven  in  number,  all  bubb- 
ling up  in  clear,  strong  volume,  in  close  contiguity  and  enclosed  and 
encased  in  a  spring-house  of  remarkably  limited  though  absolutely 
convenient  dimensions.  The  waters  are  as  different  in  their  qualities 
as  they  are  in  their  numbers,  and  prove  effective  in  malarial  diseases, 
indigestion,  insomnia,  kidney  troubles,  including  Bright's  disease, 
weakness  and  inflammation  of  the  eyes,  loss  of  appetite,  etc.  These 
springs  have  been  known  for  many  years,  and  have  been  the 
resort  of  the  surrounding  country,  but  only  recently  have  they 
become  known  to  the  more  distant  public.  A  good  and  capacious 
hotel  now  makes  it  practicable  to  distribute  their  benefits  among  a 
much  larger  circle  of  health-seekers.  " 


PIER   AND    BEACH    AT    NAG'S    HEAD. 


Seaside  Resorts. 


SEASIDE  RESORTS. 


Nag's  Head. 

This  noted  seaside  resort  is  in  Dare  county,  just  opposite  Manteo, 
on  Roanoke  Island.  It  is  annually  frequented  by  large  numbers  of 
visitors  who  lave  in  the  blue  waters  of  mother  ocean  and  feast  upon 
its  gastronomic  rarities.  Mr.  Frank  Vaughn  says  of  this  resort:  "  It 
is  in  the  midst  of  a  cluster  of  high  sand  hills,  with  ocean  on  one  side 
and  sound  on  the  other,  the  two  but  half  a  mile  apart,  is  one  of  the 
most  delightful  places  for  summer  residence  in  the  State.  From  the 
tops  of  the  bald,  5'ellow  hills,  the  scenes  on  a  clear  summer  evening, 
at  the  sunsetting  are  glorious  in  the  extreme.  Away  in  the  east, 
reaches  the  rolling,  moaning  sea;  in  the  west,  the  red  sun  sinking 
down  into  the  waters  of  Albemarle,  and  on  the  south,  Roanoke  Sound 
and  historic  Roanoke  Island,  green  and  beautiful  in  the  midst." 

New  Bern. 

New  Bern  has  held  its  enviable  place  as  a  social  center  ever  since 
the  early  colonial  days.  It  is  now  becoming  a  winter  resort.  Mr. 
Charles  Hallock,  at  present  chief  editor  of  the  new  "  Western  Field 
&  Stream,"  published  at  St.  Paul,  says: 

"During  my  six  consecutive  winters  at  New  Bern,  I  have 
observed  that  when  the  winter  was  at  all  stormy  in  that  locality,  it 
was  sure  to  be  reported  very  much  worse  in  the  regions  adjacent, 
by  the  Signal  Service.  For  instance,  if  we  had  a  slight  flurry  of 
snow  in  New  Bern,  there  would  be  a  severe  blizzard  northwards, 
extending  over  a  wide  area  of  country,  or,  if  a  hurricane  came  up 
from  the  tropical  seas,  wrecking  and  inundating  the  Georgia  and 
South  Carolina  coasts,  its  force  would  be  spent  before  it  reached  here, 
and  we  would  get  only  the  feather  edge  of  it.  If  the  weather  is  at  all 
foul  in  this  section,  at  any  season,  it  is  a  short  duration.  The  rain- 
fall is  light  in  winter  and  cloudiness  the  exception.  Quiescence  is 
the  normal  condition,  and  there  is  seldom  a  meteorological  disturbance. 

"From  these  observations,  I  make  the  unavoidable  deduction  that 
New  Bern  has  the  most  equable  winter  climate  on  the  coast;  and  is 
therefore  a  desirable  place  for  invalids  as  well  as  those  merely  in  quest 
of  warm  and  sunny  weather.  Visitors,  who  come  each  year  in 
increasing  numbers,  express  themselves  surprised  and  delighted.  Win- 
ter is  the  most  favorable  season  for  j^achting.  There  is  a  profusion 
of  ivy,  magnolia  and  other  glossy  leaved  evergreens,  and  some  kinds 
of  flowers  persist  in  blooming  all  the  winter  long.     Violets  are  always 


282  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

in  evidence.  Sportsmen  find  shooting  and  fishing  in  variety.  Mac- 
admized  roads  afford  pleasant  ways  for  carriages  and  bicycles.  The 
people  are  sociable  and  hospitable,  and  the  colored  people  as  civil  as 
those  whom  they  like  to  Imitate. 

"I  do  not  see  what  it  is  to  prevent  New  Bern  from  becoming 
first  choice  of  all  who  go  south  for  the  winter;  and  it  is  claimed  by 
residents  to  be  equally  delightful  in  summer." 

Beaufort  and  Morehead. 

The  proximity  of  Beaufort  and  Morehead  City  together  with  the 
near  resemblance  of  their  topographical  conditions  renders  a  separate 
description  of  these  two  healthful  watering  places  unnecessary.  In 
distance  apart  they  are  about  two  miles,  and  about  the  same  distance 
from  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  and  about  twelve  miles  northwest  from  Cape 
Lookout;  in  latitude  34.75  north  and  longitude  0.50  east  from 
Washington.  They  are  situated  in  Carteret  county,  on  the  extreme 
eastern  border  of  the  mainland,  the  shores  of  which  are  washed  by 
the  waters  of  Bogue  sound. 

Morehead  is  built  upon  a  point  of  land  reaching  out  into  the 
sound,  which  gives  it  a  delightful  exposure  to  the  summer  breezes 
from  almost  every  direction.  It  is  immediately  on  the  line  of  the 
Atlantic  and  North  Carolina  railway  near  its  eastern  terminus,  and 
on  this  account  is  the  more  accessible  to  visitors. 

Beaufort  is  separated  from  the  terminus  of  the  railroad  in  a  direct 
line,  by  an  arm  of  the  sound  and  is  reached  from  this  direction  by 
ferryboats,  which  make  close  connection  with  all  the  trains.  Beau- 
fort is  preferred  by  some  on  account  of  the  ocean  view,  and  more 
direct  breeze. 

The  soil  upon  which  these  places  stand  is  a  white  sand  free  from 
mud  or  dust.  The  water  supplied  from  cisterns  and  bored  wells  is 
good,  and  the  air,  coming  as  it  does  during  the  summer  months, 
almost  constantly  from  the  Atlantic  charged  with  ozone  is  as  fine  as 
can  be  found  on  the  face  of  the  globe. 

Fish  and  game  abound  in  the  neighboring  waters  and  forests 
which  are  easily  accessible  to  sportsmen. 

The  boating  and  bathing  facilities  are  rarely  excelled  in  any 
other  watering  place,  the  beach  for  surf  bathing  being  exceptionally 
fine. 

These  places  are  rapidly  growing  in  popularity  and  are  frequented 
by  large  numbers  of  most  agreeable  visitors  every  year.  The  hotel 
accommodations  are  ample. 


Sh 


^Xi4. 


WRIGHTSVILLE    BEACH    AND    SOUND. 


Seaside  Resorts.  283. 


SOUTHPORT. 

No  place  in  North  Carolina,  or  the  South,  possesses  so  many- 
natural  advantages  as  an  all-the-j-ear  watering  place,  as  Southport. 
Its  summers  have  no  extreme  heats,  its  winters  have  no  snows,  and 
its  occasional  low  temperatures  are  of  short  duration,  dry  and  of  a 
bracing  character.  The  mean  temperature  is  77  degrees  for  summer 
and  47  degrees  for  winter. 

The  attractions  in  and  near  Southport  are  of  a  kind  to  interest 
every  class  of  tourists,  from  the  sportsman  to  the  antiquary.  Fish- 
ing is  good  in  everj'  month,  and  deer  and  wild  fowl  are  plentiful  in 
the  winter  season.  For  the  invalid,  the  climate  is  unsurpassed,  and 
outdoor  recreation  can  be  indulged  in  almost  uninterruptedly,  as  the 
ground  is  alwa3's  dry,  the  drainage  being  sufficient  to  carry  off  and 
prevent  any  standing  water;  the  town  lying  twent}^  to  thirty  feet 
above  sea  level. 

The  tourist  at  Southport  has  many  points  of  interest  to  visit 
within  a  short  distance.  Fort  Caswell,  less  than  two  miles  away 
across  the  harbor  is  one  of  the  best  preserved,  interesting  and  histori- 
cal ruins  in  the  South.  Smith's  Island  less  than  four  miles  across 
the  harbor,  is  a  wonderful  sub-tropical  island,  with  palmettoes  upon 
it  thirty  and  fort}^  feet  in  height.  The  upper  portion  of  it  is  covered 
with  a  dense  growth  of  plants  and  trees,  and  the  waters  around  it 
abound  in  terrapin  and  fish.  Fort  Fisher,  five  miles  up  the  Cape  Fear 
river  is  a  historical  spot;  it  may  easily  be  reached  from  Southport. 
These  are  a  few  of  the  most  noted  places,  there  being  a  number  more 
well  worth  visiting. 

The  town  of  Southport  has  pleasant  walks;  its  live  oaks  give  a 
fine  shade  during  the  summer  months  and  preserve  their  green  ap- 
pearance during  the  winter.  Good  bathing  may  be  had  along  the 
town  front,  and  by  a  short  sail  to  the  ocean  beaches. 

Carolina  Beach. 
Carolina  Beach  is  a  summer  seaside  resort  reached  by  boat  and 
rail  from  Wilmington,  about  an  hour's  ride  from  that  city,  and  is 
situated  on  a  fine  stretch  of  sandy  beach  directly  facing  the  Atlantic 
Ocean.  It  is  the  favorite  resort  during  the  summer  months  for 
families  who  own  or  rent  cottages.  Its  bathing  is  very  fine,  and  the 
celebrated  "Pig  fish"  is  caught  in  countless  numbers  along  the  shore. 
In  the  season  a  hotel  is  open  for  the  accommodation  of  guests. 

Wrightsviele. 
Wrightsville,  or  Wrightsville  sound,  is   eight   miles    east   from 
Wilmington,  and  in  full  view  of  the  Atlantic  Ocean  one  mile  distant 


284  North  Caroi^ina  and  its  Rejsources. 

across  the  sound.  Between  the  sound  and  the  Ocean  is  Wrightsville 
beach,  a  narrow  strip  of  sand  two  hundred  yards  wide.  The  Sea- 
coast  railroad  runs  from  Wilmington  to  Wrightsville,  thence  across 
the  sound  and  along  the  beach  for  two  miles.  In  winter  there  are 
four  trains  a  day  from  Wilmington,  and  during  the  summer  there  are 
from  ten  to  twenty  trains  daily.  There  is  a  free  delivery  of  mail 
twice  a  day,  and  telephone  and  telegraph  communication  with 
Wilmington. 

The  surf  at  Wrightsville  is  within  a  few  feet  of  where  the  cars 
stop,  and  is  nearer  by  rail  to  persons  in  Goldsboro,  Raleigh,  Durham, 
Greensboro,  Charlotte  and  all  points  in  the  interior  of  the  State  west 
of  the  W.  &  W.  Railroad,  than  that  of  any  other  watering  place  in 
the  State.  The  still  water  bathing  in  this  sound  is  within  two  hun- 
dred yards  of  the  surf. 

The  climate  at  Wrightsville  and  the  Beach  is  exceptionally  fine 
for  summer  or  winter  residence.  The  fishing,  too,  is  fine,  and  there 
is  always  at  the  disposal  of  sportsmen  and  pleasure  parties,  a  number 
of  "sharpies"  manned  by  experienced  sailors  ready  to  take  them 
upon  the  waters  of  the  sound,  or  outside  upon  the  Ocean. 

The  sound  may  be  safely  entered  from  the  Ocean  through 
Wrightsville  Inlet.  Many  pleasure  yachts  passing  to  and  from 
northern  and  southern  ports  enter  here  and  find  safe  anchorage 
during  stormy  weather - 

At  Wrightsville  and  at  the  Beach  there  are  fully  150  cottages, 
hotels  and  boarding  houses.  At  least  100  families  spend  the  summer 
here,  and  during  the  months  of  June,  July  and  August,  it  has  a  large 
number  of  visitors. 

Many  of  the  cottages  are  not  only  costly  and  commodious,  but 
they  are  striking  models  of  beauty  and  convenience. 

On  the  beach  the  water  supply  comes  from  an  artesian  well  of 
pure  cool  water. 

P1NY=W00DS    RESORTS. 


"Our  Pines  are  trees  of  healing." 

North  Carolina  has  a  large  region  of  piny-woods  noted  as  a  resort 
for  those  suffering  from  throat,  lung  and  kindred  diseases.  The  heal- 
ing touch  of  nature,  though  seeming  slow,  is  yet  more  cunning  than 
science.  Once  disease  takes  hold  in  the  harsher  northern  climates,  the 
suff'erer  must  find  a  milder  and  more  benignant  sky,  and  find  in  its 
genial,  dry  and  invigorating  air  a  balm  to  heal.     There  are  healing 


Piny-Woods  Resorts.  285 

virtues  in  the  balsamic  breath  of  the  long  leaf  pine.  Professor 
Schrieber  of  Vienna,  states:  "that  turpentine  exhaled  from  the  pine 
is  the  most  effective  agent  known  for  converting  the  oxygen  of  the 
air  into  ozone,"  and  Mr.  Tufts  in  his  booklet,  says:  "Ozonized 
oxygen  is  a  powerful  antiseptic  and  disinfectant.  Its  presence  in  the 
atmosphere  gives  the  latter  a  remarkably  healing  quality  for  diseased 
throat  and  lungs."  Thus  we  have  the  secret  which  brings  health  and 
hope  to  the  pilgrims  to  our  Mecca  of  Pines. 

Southern  Pines. 

Among  the  piny-resorts  of  North  Carolina,  Southern  Pines  justly 
ranks  first,  not  only  because  it  was  the  first  established,  but  because 
of  the  excellent  location  and  the  salubrious,  invigorating  and  health 
giving  air,  laden  with  the  healing  fragrance  of  the  "bled"  pines. 
This  favorite  resort  is  located  in  Moore  county,  near  the  central  part 
of  the  State,  and  on  the  Seaboard  Air  lyine  railroad.  It  is  on  the  cul- 
mination of  an  immense  sandy  ridge,  running  in  a  northeast  and  south- 
west direction  through  the  State,  and  traceable  in  its  gradually 
diminished  elevations  and  characteristics  in  several  of  the  states  to 
the  southward.  lyocally,  this  is  known  as  "Shaw's  Ridge,"  the  name 
coming  from  a  prominent  family  long  resident  here.  The  waters  fall- 
ing upon  the  roof  of  the  old  Shaw  homestead  divide  and  find  their 
ways  to  the  Little  and  Pee  Dee  rivers,  each  some  twelve  or  fifteen 
miles  distant.  This  ridge  and  all  the  adjacent  country  for  many  miles 
is  practically  covered  with  the  long  leaf  pine — Pinus  palustris,  Mill — 
which  constitutes  the  chief  forest  growth  of  the  region.  The  selection 
of  this  dry,  elevated  ridge,  pointed  out  by  the  late  Professor  Kerr, 
State  Geologist,  as  a  health  resort  met  the  happy  medium,  in  climate 
being  located  exactly  in  the  center  of  the  temperate  zone.  Those  in 
search  of  health  or  pleasure  are  here  exempt  from  the  rigors  of  the 
north  and  west,  and  are  also  free  from  the  enervating  influences  of 
locations  in  the  more  southern  and  warmer  latitudes. 

Dr.  G.  H.  Sadelson,  the  first  to  adopt  the  region  as  a  home,  says: 
"A  little  more  than  fifteen  years  ago,  in  quest  of  health,  I  was  direct- 
ed to  this  section  by  the  late  State  Geologist,  Professor  W.  C.  Kerr, 
as  the  highest,  dryest  section  in  the  whole  long  leaf  pine  belt.  I  came, 
and  getting  off  the  train  at  Manly,  the  then  nearest  point  to  "Shaw's 
Ridge,"  I  found  myself  half  shoe  deep  in  clean  sand  and  surrounded 
by  a  dense  pine  forest,  and  breathed  an  air  saturated  and  made  grate- 
fully fragrant  by  the  balsamic  odor  of  the  turpentine  pine.  Having 
made  remarkable  improvement  in  a  short  time,  I  examined  the  sur- 
rounding country  including  "Shaw's  Ridge;"  making  almost  daily 


286  North  Caroi^ina  and  its  Resources. 


journeys,  mostly  on  foot,  and  was  so  favorably  impressed  with  its 
natural  sanitary  advantages  that  I  expressed  my  views  through  the 
press,  at  the  same  time  giving  my  views  to  Professor  Kerr,  with  whom 
I  corresponded."  At  that  time  the  State  Geologist  was  employed  by 
the  State  Board  of  Agriculture,  and  reported  to  it  at  its  regular  meet- 
ing. The  Board  was  impressed  with  the  facts  presented  by  the  State 
Geologist,  supplemented  and  amplified  by  the  correspondence  of  Dr. 
Sadelson,  and  placed  the  matter  in  the  hands  of  its  then  Immigration 
Agent,  Mr.  J.  T.  Patrick,  Continuing,  Dr.  Sadelson,  speaking  of  the 
further  effort  of  the  Board's  Agent,  says:  "Mr.  Patrick,  whose  busi- 
ness it  was  to  induce  immigration  and  capital  into  the  State,  after 
some  correspondence  and  many  interviews  developed  the  plan  of 
Southern  Pines,  and  securing  an  appropriation  from  the  State  Board 
of  Agriculture,  which  was  afterwards  supplemented  by  citizens  of  this 
section,  enough  was  secured  to  survey  a  tract  of  about  800  acres  exactly 
on  the  top  of  'Shaw's  Ridge.'  This  was  the  starting  point,  the  found- 
ation of  the  Southern  Pines  of  to-day.  It  is  now  fully  established 
among  the  health  resorts  of  the  United  States,  and  is  well  and  favor- 
ably known  to  the  medical  profession  of  this  great  country.  People 
from  all  parts  of  the  United  States  visit  the  place,  on  the  advice  of 
physicians,  and  year  by  year  sees  its  expansion;  the  boarding  houses 
giving  way  to  hotels,  and  the  hotels  to  the  more  pretentious  'Inns.' 
There  are  churches,  stores,  bakeries,  shops  and  dwellings — in  fact  a 
town,  and  a  handsome  one  at  that — whose  door  yards  are  neatly  kept, 
nearly  all  making  good  displays  of  flowers,  shrubs  and  decorative 
plants.  Two  good  church  buildings  are  completed  and  two  more  are 
to  be  built  soon;  there  are  five  good  hotels  and  half  a  dozen  boarding 
houses,  besides  a  goodly  number  of  furnished  cottages  for  rent  to  those 
preferring  light  house-keeping.  Two  private  schools  are  well  patron- 
ized." The  Seaboard  Air  I^ine  railroad  has  encouraged,  fostered  and 
promoted  the  growth  and  development  of  Southern  Pines  and  should 
not  be  omitted  even  in  so  brief  a  sketch  as  this  must  be  of  this  resort. 
Southern  Pines  is  within  twenty-two  hours  of  New  York  city. 

PiNEHURST. 

"  Rest  "  the  pines  say  to  the  pale  health  seeker,  "  the 
noises  and  the  cares  that  have  infested  thy  life  else- 
where come  not  here.  Rest,  and  be  healed  by  day. 
Sleep,  and  be  healed  by  night.  Night  and  day  we  will 
not  fail  to  encompass  thee  with  life  giving  influences." 

The  magic  wand  of  wealth  and  philanthropy,  in  the  hands  of 
Mr.  J.  W.  Tufts,  of  Boston,  Mass.,  has  caused  to  spring  from  the 
virgin  forest  of  Moore  county,  a  beautifully  built  city,  as  a  resort  for 


Piny- Woods  Resorts.  287 

the  afflicted.  Five  thousand  acres  are  included  in  the  holding,  and 
on  it  has  been  laid  out  picturesque  Pinehurst.  The  celebrated  land- 
scape artist,  Frederick  Law  Olmstead,  was  employed,  and  his  taste 
and  skill  are  amply  displayed  in  the  work  at  this  resort.  The  Board 
of  Agriculture  also  rendered  assistance  in  locating  this  enterprise. 
As  its  field  is  rather  unique  in  that  its  philanthropic  originator  has 
built  with  a  view  of  relieving  the  afflicted  with  small  means,  as  well 
as  the  more  fortunate,  financiallj',  it  will  be  worth  while  to  reproduce 
a  paragraph  from  his  little  book:  "  Pinehurst  is  not  intended  to  be  a 
sanitarium  for  hopeless  invalids.  It  has  no  hospital  features.  It  is  a 
bright  cheery  village,  artisticalh-  laid  out,  possessed  of  all  modem 
comforts  and  conveniences,  carefull}-  controlled  so  as  to  make  its 
sanitary  and  other  attractive  conditions  permanent .  It  invites  those 
in  whom  disease  has  not  progressed  so  far  as  to  render  recover}'  im- 
possible. To  such,  whether  of  large  or  small  means,  it  offers 
advantages  absolutely  unequalled." 

Pinehurst  is  located  six  miles  from  Southern  Pines,  on  the  Sea- 
board Air  Line  railroad,  and  four  miles  from  Aberdeen,  on  the  Aberdeen 
and  West  End  railroad.  An  electric  car  line  connects  Southern 
Pines  with  Pinehurst.  The  Holly  Inn,  new,  modern  in  all  appoint- 
ments, is  the  chief  hostelry  at  Pinehurst.  The  water  is  exceptionally 
fine,  being  supplied  from  a  system  of  deep  bored  walls. 


MOUNTAIN  RESORTS. 


"I  will  lift  up  mine  eyes  unto  the  hills, 
from  -vrhence  cometh  my  help." 

How  many  of  us,  when  beset  with  cares,  and  wearied  by  the 
trifles  which  pull  us  down  as  if  they  fain  would  bury  us  in  the  Valley 
where  we  live,  have  thought  of  these  words  and  turned  to  look  away 
to  where  the  mountains  couchant  and  strong  seem  from  afar  to  an- 
swer our  imspoken  wish  with  profflsr  of  welcome  and  peace. 

How  mighty  and  helpful  they  are,  these  circling  hills,  there  is 
no  fitful  show  of  power  about  them  such  as  wind  and  plain  and  sea 
afflord;  day  and  night,  sunshine  and  storm  find  them  and  leave  them 
just  as  they  were  thousands  of  3'ears  ago.  Calm  and  aloft  thej'  call  us 
from  their  solemn  heights,  they  bid  us  trust  ourselves  to  their  great 
embrace,  to  breathe  their  serene  and  unvexed  air,  to  dwell  amid  the 
silences  of  deep-bosomed  clefts,  and,  along  their  vast  reaches,  more  and 
more  lordly  as  we  look,  over  many  degrees  of  latitude  and  longitude, 
to  forget  the  slighter  measures  of  the  lands  and  life  below. 


288  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

De  Quincey  fiercely  attacked  the  use  of  the  word  "magnificent," 
common  in  his  day,  with  names  of  ordinary  things,  "great-making" 
is  the  meaning  he  said,  and  to  speak  of  jewels,  dinners,  horses,  men 
or  women  in  that  way,  is  absurd.  Nothing  is  worthy  of  this  great 
epithet  that  does  not  ennoble  or  uplift  the  beholder  or  the  hearer;  a 
drama  of  Shakespear's,  the  book  of  Job,  the  Iliad,  a  sight  of  the  sea 
in  its  mood  or  a  splendid  sunset,  may  deserve  the  adjective.  We 
who  have  lived  among  them  do  not  need  the  hint  of  David  to  know 
that  of  all  material  works  of  God  none  better  deserve  to  be  called 
magnificent,  none  so  easily  bring  strength,  so  take  to  themselves  the 
half-dead  man  and  re-create  him,  as  the  mountains  of  our  West.  But 
they  do  not  welcome  an  abrupt  approach,  nor  unveil  their  secrets  to 
the  rude  adventurer;  one  should  essay  them  with  reverent  tread  and 
let  their  first  study  be  as  they  show  cloud-like  against  the  distant 
sky.  Little  by  little  let  the  contrast  grown  between  their  billowy 
ranges,  shutting  in  half  the  horizon,  and  the  tame  level  of  the  cham- 
paign whence  we  gaze.  Then  as  we  trace  their  grand  contour  north 
and  west,  noting  how  with  each  mile  and  hour  of  our  advance  they 
tower  yet  higher  before  us,  as  peak  detaches  itself  from  range  and 
ranges,  taking  distance,  separate  themselves  one  from  another,  stretch- 
ing over  State  after  State  only  to  fade  away,  yet  dominant  on  the 
furtherst  verge,  we  may  begin  to  claim  the  freedom  of  the  hills,  enroll 
ourselves  among  the  clients  of  these  mighty  patrons  and  seek  to  make 
their  mysteries  our  own. 

The  tourist  from  the  north  or  east  gets  his  first  view  of  the 
mountains  from  Hickory,  Catawba  county,  at  the  junction  of  the 
Western  North  Carolina  with  the  Narrow-gauge  railroad  leading  from 
Chester,  S.  C,  to  Lenoir. 

Hickory. 

a  vigorous  town,  is  hardly  a  mountain  resort,  but  is  the  gate-way  to 
one  of  the  most  attractive,  borrowing  from  the  hills  above  and  the 
plains  below  qualities  of  scenery,  climate  and  people  which  make  it, 
its  denizens  and  surroundings  typical  of  both. 

Unsurpassed  for  dryness,  for  it  lies  between  the  wet  belts  of 
summit  and  lowlands,  sunshine  and  salubrity,  its  air  supplied  from 
the  great  cataract  falling  down  from  the  hills  to  be  met  and  tempered 
by  the  warmer  currents  from  the  south;  its  population  combining  the 
strength  of  the  sterner  with  the  polish  of  the  milder  sections,  it  is  a 
place  where  one  may  well  spend  some  days  before  going  higher  to 
accustom  himself  to  the  sight  of  the  mountains,  and  the  effect  of 
the  mild  yet  bracing  atmosphere. 


THE    NANTAHALA    MOUNTAINS  — SOUTHERN    RAILWAY. 


Mountain  Resorts.  289 


Fifteen  hundred  feet  above  sea  level  it  has  a  country  about  it 
that  yearly  attracts  many  sportsmen  for  quail  shooting.  It  also 
boasts  of  one  of  the  most  charming  hostelries  in  the  land,  Hickory  Inn, 
accommodating  150  guests  and  with  all  the  modern  conveniences.  The 
piazzas  are  broad  and  sheltered,  and  the  lofty  tower  at  the  top  of  the 
building  looks  out  upon  the  great  mountain  system.  One  hour  by 
rail  brings  the  tourist  to 

lyENOIR. 

This  prettj^  town  marks  the  western  terminus  of  the  Chester  and 
Lenoir  railroad,  and  here  the  tourist  forsaking  the  cinders  and  dust 
of  the  railroad  takes  private  conveyance  for  the  resorts  on  the 
mountain  taps,  now  visably  piled  in  great  blue  heaps  against  the 
western  sky.  This  little  town,  filled  with  cultured,  hospitable 
people,  and  nestling  close  to  the  mountains,  is  a  charming  half  way 
place.  It  is  not  so  cool  as  the  mountains;  has  good  markets,  good 
hotels  and  boarding  houses,  good  livery  and  a  hearty  welcome  to  the 
traveller.  A  few  weeks  of  rest  and  recreation  can  be  spent  here. 
Indeed,  its  climate  is  preferred  by  those  who  find  the  mountain 
resorts  too  cold.  But  those  bent  on  the  glorious  scenes  from  the 
crest  of  the  Blue  Ridge,  take  carriage,  and  in  a  few  hours  over  a  fine 
turn-pike  of  twenty  miles  reach  the  goal. 

Blowing  Rock. 

is  the  name  generally  applied  to  designate  the  mountain  resort.  But 
there  are  two  ends  to  the  resort,  and  each  having  a  post-office,  they 
are  separated  in  name;  thus  the  Green  Park  and  Blowing  Rock 
contingents  of  the  same  straggling  village,  more  than  two  miles  in 
length,  and  along  this  distance  are  scattered  hotels,  churches,  cotta- 
ges, stores,  livery  stables,  &c. 

From  Blowing  Rock  one  of  those  enormous  spurs,  branching  off 
from  the  Ridge  like  ribs  from  a  back-bone,  reaches  to  the  sea  below 
Georgetown,  S.  C.  Its  whole  route  can  be  travelled  without  crossing 
any  natural  water  course,  from  the  highest  point  at  Blowing  Rock 
between  the  tributaries  of  the  Catawba  or  San  tee  system  on  the  west 
and  the  Yadkin  and  Pee  Dee  system  on  the  east.  Up  along  this  spur, 
crossing  and  recrossing,  now  on  its  narrow  ridge,  now  on  one  of  its 
sloping  sides,  the  turnpike  runs  giving  frequent  glimpses  of  the 
famous  Jonas  Ridge  peaks,  Hawksbill  and  Table  Rock  to  the  left, 
and  as  far  as  Pilot  mountain  in  Surry  county  to  the  right.  Cool  and 
refreshing  springs  are  abundant. 

These  places  are  about  4,200  to  4,300  feet  above  the  sea;  2,300 
feet  higher  than  Lookout  mountain  or  the  Catskill  Mountain  House. 


290  North  CaroIvIna  and  its  Resources. 

There,  summer  reigns  with  moderate  sway,  during  the  season  85°  is 
the  highest  temperature  recorded;  for  two  successive  Augusts  the 
daily  maximum  ranged  from  67°  to  84°.  The  days  are  pleasant,  the 
nights  more  pleasant  if  possible;  a  seat  by  an  open  fire  and  a  sleep 
under  blankets  make  the  dark  hours  delightful,  nerves  regain  tone, 
muscles  grow  strong,  blood  reddens,  dyspepsia  and  headaches  flee 
away  in  the  life  giving  atmosphere  above  the  clouds  of  the  valleys. 

Points  of  vantage  for  views  abound.  No  two  give  the  scores  of 
mountain  sides  or  tops  from  the  same  direction  or  at  the  same  angle, 
the  sights  are  almost  kaleidoscopic  in  variety. 

At  one  place  and  hour  there  spreads  below  you  a  white  and 
silent  sea  of  mist,  in  a  moment  the  vast  still  surface  begins  to  heave, 
to  toss,  to  break,  green  peaks  emerge  from  snowy  billows,  hillsides 
next  appear,  and  then  the  gathered  waves  float  upward  to  be  clouds, 
disclosing  in  all  its  bravery  of  field  and  forest,  winding  streams  and 
rocky  cliffs  the  great  valley  which  drains  the  waters  from  the  southern 
slope  of  the  Appalachian  range.  From  another  point  and  as  the 
evening  sun  tips  the  crests  with  flame  you  see,  as  if  they  grew  loftier 
while  you  look — the  giant  tops  of  Roan  and  Grandfather,  Bald,  Yellow 
and  Black,  scores  with  no  name  at  all,  clean  cut  against  a  clear  blue 
sk}',  so  calm  and  still,  so  mighty  and  reposeful,  lifting  the  soul  as  they 
seem  to  lift  themselves. 

Where  the  great  spur  already  mentioned  joins  the  Blue  Ridge  an 
overhanging  shelf  of  rock  projects  from  the  top  so  far  over  the 
"Globe"  or  valley  of  John's  river,  as  to  catch  and  for  a  time  confine 
the  currents  of  air  sent  up  from  the  depths,  as  the  northerly  winds, 
finding  no  outlet,  strike  against  the  face  of  the  cliff.  The  air  presently 
finds  egress  over  the  top,  and  the  force  with  which  it  boils  up  gives 
the  name  of  Blowing  Rock  to  the  beetling  crag.  When  the  winds 
are  right  any  light  article,  handkerchief,  scarf,  hat  or  bush  thrown 
from  the  apex,  instead  of  reaching  the  bottom  thousands  of  feet  below, 
is  born  upward  and  back  again  to  the  spot  whence  it  was  dismissed. 
The  name  of  the  cliff  has  become  that  of  the  village  near  by  where 
the  road  to  Boon  intersects  with  the  old  turnpike. 

Green  Park  Hotel. 

Within  five  minutes  walk  of  the  Rock,  near  the  crest  of  the 
Ridge,  just  between  the  springs  of  New  river  and  Yadkin,  is  Green 
Park  hotel  so  exactly  placed  as  to  turn  the  rainfall  from  the  roof 
partly  toward  the  Ohio  and  partly  toward  the  Pee  Dee  rivers. 

The  hotel,  a  handsome  thoroughly  modern  structure,  has  all  the 
"improvements,"  warmed  by  fire-places,   with  hot  and  cold  baths, 


ON  THE  YONAHLOSSEE  ROAD. 


Mountain  Resorts.  291 


&c.,  and  is  supplied  from  the  springs  alluded  to  with  purest  cold 
water.  It  is  fully  carpeted,  it  has  a  fine  billiard  room,  shooting 
gallery,  bowling  alley,  tennis  court  and  other  modes  of  amusement. 
Telegraph  and  post-office  in  the  building. 

Blowing  Rock  Hotel. 

Also  on  the  crest  of  the  ridge,  about  one  and  a  half  miles  north 
of  Green  Park,  on  a  bold  cliff-like  projection  afibrding  from  its  piazzas 
charming  views  of  the  valley  below  and  of  the  distant  peaks  beyond. 
Its  commanding  location,  good  table  and  home-like  associations  make 
it  one  of  the  most  charming  hostelries  on  the  mountain. 

It  has  nine  hundred  feet  of  piazzas,  telegraph,  livery  stable,  ball 
room,  «&c.,  for  the  convenience  of  patrons. 

Watauga  Hotel. 

This  is  the  pioneer  hotel  and  is  at  the  extreme  north  end  of  the 
village,  about  two  miles  from  Green  Park.  It  has  undergone  several 
remodelings  and  is  now  a  comfortable  place,  with  ample  grounds  and 
the  finest  spring  of  water  on  the  mountain. 

Besides,  there  are  the  Brady  House,  the  Stewart  House,  and 
numerous  boarding  houses,  all  open  for  the  accommodation  of  the 
five  thousand  visitors  annually  flocking  to  this  favored  region  for  rest 
and  recuperation. 

Boon. 

Eight  miles  northward  lies  Boon,  the  county  seat  of  Watauga, 
named  for  the  famous  hunter  and  pioneer,  whose  lodge  fires  blackened 
the  heap  of  stones  yet  remaining  and  to  be  seen  in  a  meadow  there 
and  cherished  as  Boon's  chimney. 

Here,  several  hotels,  with  good  cookery  and  cheerful  attendance, 
make  the  place  a  resort.  It  is  a  quiet,  restful  town,  suited  for  study 
and  retirement,  albeit  now  connected  with  the  world  by  a  new  and 
admirable  turnpike.  A  score  of  years  ago,  whoso  ventured  to  fare 
thither  felt  dismay,  now  the  drive  from  the  Rock  done  in  an  hour  is  a 
pleasurable  event.  Then  too,  whoever  wished  to  travel  from  the 
Rock  to  Linville  started,  trembled  and  went  back;  now  a  road,  the 
most  beautiful  and  of  easiest  grade  in  all  the  hill-country  woos  the 
traveler  over  its  broad  ribbon-like  track.  He  may  ride,  drive  or  walk, 
at  any  pace  he  will,  nothing  obstructs  his  path;  no  thoroughfare  in 
the  county,  unless  it  may  be  the  military  pike  at  the  National  Chick- 
amauga  Park  can  compare  with  it.  So  perfect  a  mountain  road,  its 
unlikeness  to  what  is  looked  for  in  its  surroundings,  there  is  some- 
thing  humorous   almost   whimsical   in  such   a  drive-way  on  such  a 


292  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

mountain  side,  and  it  affords  quite  a  new  sensation.  To  whirl  along" 
at  the  horses'  best  speed,  as  smoothly  as  if  bowling  along  a  drive  in 
Central  Park,  is  to  enjoy  the  utmost  luxury  of  locomotion  through  an 
exhilarating  atmosphere  scented  with  pine  and  balsam  on  the  most 
stony  mountain  of  the  Appalachain  chain,  among  rocks  gray  with 
lichens,  bare  crags,  bush  and  tree  yet  in  their  primitive  savagery,  to 
sweep  by  and  amid  the  silence  of  the  wildest  forest,  to  see  on  either 
hand  the  pathless  tangle  of  the  steeps,  brings  the  world  in  so  sudden 
nearness  to  the  jungle  that  the  contrast  startles. 

By  this  road  from  Blowing  Rock  or  by  a  shorter  one  from  Cran- 
berry, a  station  on  the  K.  T.  &  W.  N.  C.  R.  R.,  can  and  should  be 
reached  the  renowned  lyinville,  with  its  great  scope  of  well  governed 
land,  its  matchless  scenery,  its  range  of  flora  and  fauna,  temperature 
and  climate,  hill  and  valley,  from  the  crown  of  Grandfather  mountain 
to  the  smooth  green  meads  bordering  fair  lyinville  river  and  among 
other  good  things  its  home-like 

EsEKoi^A  Inn. 

This  is  a  mountain  resort  which  begun  at  the  other  end  from  most 
of  them.  Usually  the  public  builds  them  from  a  spring  and  cabin  to 
a  fountain  and  a  town.  In  this  instance,  capitalists  bought  a  duke- 
dom so  far  as  territory  goes,  laid  it  out  for  country  and  city,  farms  and 
gardens,  with  a  picturesque  town  plot  on  the  river,  at  the  junction  of 
Grandmother  creek,  cleared  undergrowth,  opened  forest  glades,  views 
and  groves,  cut  paths,  built  bridges  and  best  of  all  "  Yonahlossee  " 
pike  from  Blowing  Rock  along  the  southern  slope  of  Grandfather. 
Built  an  inn,  cottages  and  then  called  the  Nation's  attention  the  fact 
that  at  lyinville,  with  ten  miles  of  trout  stream  and  thirty  miles  of 
graded  driveways,  was  a  town  ready  made,  a  watering  and  breathing 
place  without  mark  of  wear  and  use,  which  by  the  magic  of  money, 
taste  and  foresight,  had  sprung  up  as  yet  untenanted,  all  fresh,  sweet 
and  new,  ready  for  guests. 

From  points  here,  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  of  mountains  can 
be  traced,  more  than  a  score  of  peaks  rivalling  its  own  monarch,  Roan 
and  Yellow,  Otter  and  the  giant  brood  of  Blacks,  all  in  a  country 
where  reigns  summer  almost  like  spring  or  fall  and  where  winter  is 
not  much  more  than  a  joke  and  an  excuse  for  roaring  fires  in  great 
generous  fire  places  in  a  cosy  inn. 

Ci<oudi.and  HOTEIv. 

Roan  mountain,  cloudland  and  empire  of  the  sky,  the  highest  of 
resorts,  loftiest  of  hotels,  most  picturesque  of  summits,  can  be  readily 


ROAN    MOUNTAIN  — HIGH    BLUFF—  EAGLE    CLIFF  — VIEW    FROM    ROAN. 


Mountain  Resorts.  293 


reached  from  Linville,  or  from  Johnson  City,  K.  T.  &  V.  R.  R.,  via 
Cranberry;  6342  feet  above  sea  level.  Commanding  views,  as  inde- 
scribable as  they  are  numerous,  attract  and  keep  the  beholder;  the  top 
of  this  most  beautiful  mountain  is  seven  miles  long,  a  natural  prairie, 
interspersed  v/ith  groves,  dotted  with  flowers  and  shrubbery;  it  no 
longer  serves  merely  as  a  pasture  for  the  flocks  and  herds  of  the  farmers 
below,  a  nobler  destiny  has  been  found  for  it,  and  travelers  swarm 
over  its  broad  expanse.  It  does  not  boast  of  hunting  or  fishing,  such 
sports  are  not  to  be  looked  for  above  the  clouds,  but  scenery,  the 
world  spread  out  below,  wholesome  wine-like  air,  pure  water,  zest  for 
food  amply  provided,  comfortable  lodging,  it  challenges  the  best  of 
cur  hill  country  resorts. 

Highlands. 

At  Highlands,  in  Macon  county,  a  colony  of  health  seekers  from 
the  North,  blended  with  southern  settlers,  have  made  this  spot,  near 
the  southern  verge  of  the  Blue  Ridge,  at  an  elevation  of  nearly  4000 
feet  above  the  sea  level,  a  very  desirable  location.  It  has  well  kept 
hotels  and  many  visitors. 

ASHEVILLK. 

Buncombe  county  and  its  superb  capital,  Asheville,  have  for 
years  been  the  best  advertised  places  in  the  State.  Asheville  holds 
peculiar  prominence  as  a  resort,  by  reason  of  its  location,  its  railroad 
facilities,  its  many  fine  hotels,  and  its  easily  accessible  views — splen- 
dors of  scenery.  Then  the  location  of  the  vast  Vanderbilt  domain 
has  given  it  additional  importance.  It  is  thronged  with  visitors  win- 
ter and  summer.  In  winter  by  those  who  seek  a  milder  residence  for 
the  extreme  cold  of  the  north,  and  especially  by  those  who  sufl'er 
with  pulmonary  troubles;  while  in  the  summer  the  majority  of  its 
guests  come  from  the  warm  slopes  of  the  South  Atlantic  States,  seek- 
ing a  cooler  and  more  salubrious  climate  for  the  heated  term. 

Battery  Park. 

Asheville' s  hotels  are  famous  all  over  the  nation.  Battery  Park 
on  a  hill  in  the  centre  of  the  city  of  Asheville,  commanding  pros- 
pects of  the  whole  country  around  "rus  in  urbe,"  also  withdrawn 
enough  for  quiet  but  not  selfishly  excluded,  its  drives,  its  electric  cat 
line,  its  whole  environment  make  the  guest  feel  at  home,  the  master 
of  his  time;  his  views,  his  comings  and  his  goings.  An  hour's  con- 
templation of  Mount  Pisgah  majestic  against  the  sky  would  furnish  an 
army  of  exhausted  preachers  with  new  metaphors. 


294  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

The  hotel,  a  Queen  Ann  edifice,  is  three  stories  high  300  x  175 
feet  in  dimension,  with  broad  verandahs  which  in  winter  are  closed  in 
by  glass. 

SWANNANOA   HoTEL. 

The  Swannanoa  in  the  centre  of  the  business  part  of  town,  a  four 
storied  brick  building,  keeps  up  its  old  and  well-deserved  reputation. 

Hotel  Berkly. 

Hotel  Berkly  is  close  to  the  Court  House,  Postoffice,  Banks  and 
other  business  places,  is  well  kept  and  furnished,  open  the  year  round. 

Oakland  Heights; 

Something  more  than  a  mile  from  the  Court  House,  on  a  gently  slop- 
ing hill,  large,  capacious  and  of  beautiful  design,  overlooking  a  beau- 
tiful landscape  and  in  all  respects  a  first-class  hotel. 

Kenilworth  Inn, 

At  Biltmore,  adjoining  the  Vanderbilt  domain  and  two  miles  from 
Asheville,  claims  the  best  air,  as  it  certainly  has  one  of  the  best  build- 
ings for  the  seeker  after  rest,  health  or  pleasure  in  the  State.  It  is  a 
vast,  many  gabled,  many  porched  and  most  picturesque  pile,  on  the 
crest  of  a  knoll,  commanding  splendid  views  of  mountain  and  valley. 
It  is  but  five  minutes  from  a  station  and  can  be  reached  by  through 
sleepers  from  New  York  and  Cincinnati. 

It  goes  without  saying  that  the  house  is  perfect  in  all  modern 
improvements  and  appointments,  admirably  kept,  and  provided  with 
golf  and  tennis  grounds.  It  has  twenty  acres  of  lawn  and  a  superb 
woodland  park  of  140  acres  in  extent,  with  miles  on  miles  of  accessible 

drives. 

Arden  Park, 

Between  Asheville  and  Hendersonville,  nine  miles  from  the  former  on 
the  Asheville  and  Spartanburg  R.  R.,  has  an  excellent  hotel  largely 
patronized  by  exclusive  guests  from  the  cotton  and  cane  States,  as  well 
as  by  the  same  class  from  the  North. 

Hendersonville  . 

Hendersonville,  long  a  favorite  resoit  for  the  aristocracy  of  the 
south,  is  warmer  and  dryer  than  other  towns  along  the  Ridge,  well 
laid  out  and  shaded  streets,  good  water  and  charming  scenery.  Its 
hotels  are  comfortable,  well  kept,  at  moderate  prices,  and  attract  a 
Steady  custom  year  after  year. 


FALLS    ON    QUEENS    CREEK    RAPIDS— NANTAHALA    RIVER, 


Mountain  Resorts.  295 


Flat  Rock. 

Also  on  the  Asheville  &  Spartanburg  railroad  is  a  collection  of 
exquisite  stone  villas  surrounded  by  beautiful  grounds,  built  by  the 
wealthiest  class  of  South  Carolinians.  It  has  to  some  extent  lost  the 
exclusive  character  of  its  former  years,  and  is  one  of  the  most  delight- 
ful and  interesting  villages  in  the  south.  As  a  resort  it  is  unsurpassed 
for  healthfulness,  beauty  and  romantic  associations.  "St.  John's-in- 
the-Wilderness,"  a  sanctuary  erected  by  the  people  from  the  low 
country  is  attractive  to  all  who  have  read  "The  Land  of  the  Sky." 
Count  and  Countess  du  Choiseul  sleep  quietly  in  their  tombs  near  the 
entrance,  and  a  finely  graded  road  leads  to  their  lonely  Chateau. 

Hot  Springs. 

This  resort  is  treated  elsewhere  under  the  head  of  Mineral 
Springs.  Until  its  recent  development  by  the  Southern  Improvement 
Company  it  had  not  the  facilities  for  entertaining  guests  all  the  year 
round.  The  Company  owns  4,000  acres  at  this  point  and  has  made 
it  a  most  successful  rival  of  the  resorts  hitherto  more  widely  advertised. 

This  place  is  on  the  picturesque  French  Broad  river,  near  the 
Tennessee  line  in  a  region  of  attractions  in  the  way  of  scenery  has 
especially  to  boast  of  its  climate  and  healthfulness.  Its  altitude  of 
1700  feet,  freedom  from  fog,  and  pure  dry  air  make  it  most  desirable 
for  the  debilitated. 

Mountain  Park  Hotel  is  new,  with  the  best  modern  appliances, 
elevators,  toilets  on  all  floors,  steam  heat  and  fire  places,  a  quarter  of 
a  mile  of  broad  verandahs,  excellent  cuisine  and  service  make  it  a 
most  desirable  home.  An  orchestra,  music  hall  and  ball  room,  good 
livery,  billiards,  bowling,  golf  links  and  tennis  courts,  and  even  a  dark 
room  for  the  photographer  to  await  the  patrons. 

Other  towns.  Old  Fort,  Marion,  Black  Mountain  and  Morganton 
are  all,  more  or  less  summer  resorts.  Morganton  has  occupied  an 
enviable  reputation  as  a  resort  for  more  than  half  a  century,  and  is 
still  much  frequented;  in  fact  all  the  towns  in  the  mountain  region 
may  be  classed  as  resorts,  since  each  has  an  increasing  number  of  sum- 
mer visitors. 

Roaring  Gap. 

Within  the  last  few  years  Roaring  Gap,  Alleghany  county,  has 
attained  the  importance  of  a  resort.  A  large  and  well  arranged  hotel 
has  been  built  on  a  site  commanding  charming  views  and  vistas.  It 
is  on  the  Blue  Ridge  at  an  elevation  of  2914  feet,  and  is  reached  over 
the  Northwestern  and  North  Carolina  railroad,  a  branch  of  the  South. 


296  North  Caroi^ina  and  its  Resources. 

ern  system.     Leaving  the  train  at  Elkin,  a  drive  of  sixteen  miles 
brings  you  to  the  hotel. 

This  whole  region  is  easily  accessible — Pullman  cars  leave  New 
York  at  4:30  P.  M.,  and  Cincinnati  at  8  P.  M.,  arriving  at  most  any 
of  these  resorts  next  afternoon. 

Taken  all  together  this  mountain  region  is  a  wonderful  section; 
the  late  Col.  J.  B.  Wheeler,  United  States  Army,  who  had  served  all 
over  the  Union,  used  to  remark  that  in  no  region  with  which  he 
was  familiar  could  be  counted  in  a  year  so  many  days  when 
the  sun  shone.  Bishop  L,yman,  who  had  lived  for  years  in  Rome  and 
California  was  fond  of  sayiny  all  manner  of  gracious  things  of  this 
region. 

No  part  of  the  South  offers  greater  attractions  to  the  investor  and 
the  seeker  for  health  or  pleasure,  or  is  more  interesting  to  the  student 
than  this.  Incalcubly  rich  in  minerals  and  timber,  perfectly  suited 
for  growing  grasses,  cereals  and  fruits;  with  a  climate  bland,  strong, 
stimulating  and  restful,  it  also  has  the  purest  strain  of  Anglo-Saxon 
blood  in  the  country,  and  with  the  possible  exception  of  Kent  and 
Devon  the  purest  in  the  world.  Descendants  of  great  houses  famous 
under  Plantaganet  and  Tudor,  children  of  ancestors  who  flew  from  the 
tyranny  of  Stuart  and  Hanoverian,  occupy  slopes  of  the  Appalachian 
chain.  No  latin  or  Celtic  admixture  has  dimmed  the  bright 
current  which  flows  in  the  veins  of  the  heirs  of  the  gentry  and  yeo- 
manry of  the  mother  isle,  and  the  scholar  will  observe  the  frequency 
with  which,  in  the  houses  of  men  whose  ancestors  fought  Charles  at 
home  and  Ferguson  here,  he  may  listen  to  the  unmatched  English  of 
Shakespeare. 

Indeed  it  is  not  too  much  to  say  that  more  individuals  in  such  a 
gathering  as  is  normally  found  at  church  or  court  in  Western  North 
Carolina  will  understand  and  relish  an  Elizabethian  drama  than  can 
be  brought  together  under  the  same  conditions  elsewhere  in  the  land. 


WITH  GUN  AND  ROD. 


Among  all  the  States,  North  Carolina  stands  near  the  head  as  a 
resort  for  the  hunter  and  fisherman,  but  among  those  within  easy 
access  of  the  centers  of  population  and  wealth,  it  undoubtedly  pos- 
sesses advantages  equalled  by  few  other  States,  which  are  fully  appre- 
ciated by  the  local  sportsmen  as  well  as  those  residing  in  other  States 


With  Gun  and  Rod.  297 

cognizant  of  the  facts.  The  fact  that  so  ardent  a  hunter  and  fisher- 
man as  President  Cleveland  selects  the  shores  and  sounds  of  North 
Carolina  as  his  hunting  ground  (which,  by  the  way,  was  sometimes 
practiced  of  his  illustrious  predecessors),  and  that  the  wealthy  Eastern 
Field  Club  holds  its  annual  trials  on  the  stubble  covered  fields  of  the 
Piedmont  region  of  the  State,  are  significant  proofs  of  the  fact  that 
"  good  hunting  "  may  be  had  here.  The  scope  of  this  chapter  will  be 
to  point  out  briefly  some  particulars  of  interest  to  the  lover  of  gun 
and  rod. 

Virginia  Deer,  (cariacus  virginianus)  and  Black  Bear,  (ursus 
americanus,)  are  the  representative  big  game  animals  found  in  North 
Carolina,  and  they  are  both  sufi&ciently  abundant  to  be  an  object  of 
sport  in  the  localities  in  which  they  abound,  in  fact,  in  some  sections 
of  the  State,  the  bears  often  become  a  nuisance  to  the  farmer  on 
account  of  their  depredations  on  the  hog-pen  and  sheep-fold.  And 
then  the  hunt  begins,  although  it  is  not  sport,  but  revenge  and  self 
preservation  that  urges  the  farmer  forward  on  bruin's  trail. 

The  Coastal  Plain  region,  the  land  of  the  big  swamps  and  poco- 
sons,  is  the  natural  home  of  the  bear,  and  almost  any  one  of  the 
extreme  eastern  tier  of  counties  can  still  show  good  sport  in  bringing 
him  to  bay.  The  mountains  of  the  west,  too,  produce  some  enormous 
specimens,  and  a  good  many  of  them,  and  many  deer  still  gladden  the 
hunters  among  the  peaks  and  valleys  of  the  Blue  Ridge  and  Great 
Smoky  ranges.  Deer  are  also  plentiful  in  the  Coastal  Plain  region 
of  the  State,  as  well  as  in  the  west,  and  are  found  in  varying  numbers 
all  over,  except  perhaps,  in  a  few  of  the  older  and  more  thickly  set- 
tled counties.  Many  men  who  hunt  regularly,  still  use  the  smooth- 
bore, with  its  load  of  twelve  or  fifteen  buckshot,  but  the  later  t3^pe  of 
hunters  are  rapidly  replacing  it  with  the  rifle,  a  smaller  percentage  of 
lost  cripples  being  the  natural  result  of  the  change.  Wildcats  are 
common  in  about  the  same  sections  that  produce  the  bear  and  deer, 
and  some  wolves  yet  rouse  the  wrath  of  the  sheep  farmers  in  the 
mountain  counties. 

To  anyone  wishing  to  indulge  in  a  taste  of  a  genuine,  old  fashioned 
before  the  war  "possum  hunt"  it  may  be  stated  that  no  other  State 
can  produce  more,  or  larger,  or  better  Opossums  in  any  way. 

The  stately  wild  turkey  is  yet  a  common  bird  nearly  the  whole 
length  of  the  State,  and  fine  specimens  are  killed  frequently  within  a 
few  miles  of  the  State  Capital  at  Raleigh,  While  not  as  common,  of 
course,  as  formerly,  yet  it  will  be  many  years  before  this  noble  bird 
becomes  even  rare  in  North  Carolina.  They  are  abundant  in  many 
localities. 


298  North  Caroi^ina  and  its  Rksourcks. 

But  it  is,  perliaps,  as  a  wild  fowl  resort  that  we  stand  without  a 
rival  on  the  whole  Atlantic  seaboard.  The  enormous  extent  of  the 
great  sounds,  estuaries,  rivers,  marshes  and  beaches  of  the  Coastal 
Plain  region  makes  it  the  home  almost  the  whole  year  round  of  a 
greater  number  of  more  diflferent  kinds  of  waterfowl  and  shorebirds 
than  perhaps  can  be  found  in  any  other  like  area  on  the  American 
Continent.  In  fall  and  winter  it  is  the  vast  hordes  of  waterfowl  on 
the  sounds  and  open  reaches  that  attract  the  hunter  from  afar  and, 
not  infrequently,  large  bags  of  Canvass  back  are  the  reward  of  his 
pleasant  toil.  Redhead,  Mallard  and  Black  Duck,  Teal,  Widgeon  and 
Pintail  all  abound,  while  Wild  Geese  and  Brant  are  to  be  killed  in 
numbers  unheard  of  in  less  favored  localities.  The  Snow  Goose 
occurs  here  during  winter  in  larger  numbers  than  in  any  other  locality 
on  the  Atlantic  seaboard.  The  great  white  Whistling  Swan  is  a  com- 
mon bird  on  the  northern  sounds  and,  with  the  exception  of  a  few 
arctic  and  sub-arctic  species,  about  all  the  members  of  the  duck  family 
known  along  the  western  shores  of  the  Atlantic  ocean  occur,  usually 
abundantly,  on  the  North  Carolina  sounds.  In  spring  and  fall  too, 
the  beaches  and  marshes  are  the  resort  of  innumerable  shore  and  marsh 
birds.  The  different  species  of  Rails  or  Marsh  Hens,  including  the 
toothsome  Sora,  the  gamey  English  Snipe,  Yellowlegs — both  kinds — 
Willets,  Curlews,  Plovers;  the  marshes  resound  to  their  shrill  cries, 
while  on  the  sand  beaches  run  great  crowds  of  Robin  Snipe,  Sander- 
ling,  Redbreasted  or  Grayback  Snipe,  Turnstone,  Oyster  Catchers  and 
simply  clouds  of  the  smaller  members  of  the  snipe  family. 

I^arge  bags  of  Woodcock  can  be  made  in  suitable  localities  almost 
anywhere  in  the  Coastal  region,  and  it  is  a  tolerably  common  bird  all 
over  the  State,  in  situations  suited  to  its  habits.  All  through  the 
Mountain  region  the  silent  woods  echo  to  the  drumming  of  the  Ruffed 
Grouse,  this  fine  game  bird  being  well  distributed  through  that  part 
of  the  State,  although  not  as  abundantly  as  a  few  years  ago.  We,  in 
the  South,  call  this  bird  "Pheasant,"  an  erroneous  name,  while  in  the 
northern  States,  the  equally  erroneous  name  of  "Partridge"  is  in 
common  use. 

Bob  White,  the  Quail  of  the  North  and  the  Partridge  of  the  South, 
is  found  nearly  everywhere  except  on  the  mountain  peaks,  but  is  per- 
haps most  plentiful  in  the  Piedmont  Plateau  region.  But  anywhere 
in  the  State,  from  the  tide  water  region  of  the  Bast  to  the  foot  hills  of 
the  West,  Bob  White  is  thoroughly  at  home,  and  lots  of  him  too.  Of 
all  land  game  birds  of  the  State,  in  his  ability  to  take  care  of  himself, 
to  exist  through  extremes  of  both  summer  and  winter  temperatures, 
to  thrive  and  grow  fat  on  what  he  can  pick  up  and  to  furnish  the  best 


FALLS   ON    PICTURESQUE    TROUT     STREAMS  —  MOUNTAIN    REGION. 


With  GuxN^  and  Rod.  299 

of  sport  to  the  most  exacting  gunner,  Bob  White  stands  pre-eminently 
first.  To  rise  with  whirring  wing  while  j'ou  are  off  guard,  to  dash 
down  from  a  pine  top  until  he  skims  the  ground,  to  swerve  behind 
the  nearest  tree  or  bush  that  will  stop  your  load — all  with  the  rapidity 
of  lightning — seems  to  be  as  easy  to  him  as  a  straight-away  flight. 
May  his  cheery  whistle  long  echo  over  the  land !  Bags  of  twenty-five 
to  fifty  are  not  uncommon  with  our  best  gunners,  and  occasionally  a 
round  hundred  will  be  the  count  when  the  game  bag  is  emptied  at  the 
close  of  a  day's  sport. 

In  the  upper  waters  of  the  cold  and  sparkling  streams  that  have 
their  source  all  through  the  Mountain  region  of  the  State,  the  Brook 
Trout  abounds  and  is  here,  as  elsewhere,  the  same  dashing,  gamey 
sprite  of  the  waters  whose  rise  to  the  fly  will  always  cause  the  nerves  of 
even  the  veteran  angler  to  tingle.  Black  Bass  of  fair  size  and  large 
fighting  capacity  are  also  caught  in  these  streams  a  little  lower  down> 
while  the  Piedmont  Plateau  region  yields  some  excellent  still  water 
fishing  for  Bass,  Sunfishes  of  several  kinds.  Pike  and  Perch. 

In  some  of  the  coast  localities  can  be  had  that  rather  rare  atid 
very  exciting  experience  that  comes  with  surf-fishing  for  the  Red  drum 
or  Channel  Bass.  Huge  specimens  of  fifty  pounds  or  over  are  often 
taken  and  any  one  who  has  ever  fought  a  fifty  pound  bass  while  wad- 
ing waist  deep  in  the  roaring  surf  has  had  an  experience  that  he  will 
not  soon  forget. 

Trolling  for  Bluefish  and  Spanish  Mackerel  may  be  indulged  in 
to  a  surfeit,  and  some  of  the  finest  sail  boats  for  this  sport,  fully 
equipped  with  lines  and  bait  can  be  found  for  hire  at  many 
points  along  our  coast.  An  occasional  King  fish  or  Sero  (scombero- 
morus  cavalla)  of  from  fifteen  to  twenty-five  pounds  weight  will  vary 
the  monotony  of  hauling  in  the  beautiful  mackerel;  but  the  lucky 
fisherman  to  whose  line  such  a  prize  comes  does  not  get  him  to  the 
boat  without  some  hard  work  and  skill,  too. 

Still  fishing  for  Gray  and  Speckled  Trout  (cynoscion  regalis  and 
c.  nebulosus)  known  further  north  as  Weakfish,  is  a  fascinating  sport 
and  is  very  productive  almost  anywhere  along  the  whole  line  of  our 
coast,  and  along  with  the  trout  are  caught  Sea  Bream,  Croakers,  Sea 
Cats,  Spots  and  many  others,  in  large  numbers.  Several  hundred  is 
no  uncommon  total  for  a  day's  catch  off  one  rod,  and  when  once  a 
biting  school  is  struck  the  fun  can  hardly  be  equalled  if  qauntity  of 
fish  and  quality  of  sport  in  catching  them  be  taken  into  consideration. 
The  toothsome  and  gamy  Black  Sea  Bass  (centropristis  striatus)  is 
often  the  commonest  fish  caught  in  still  fishing,  and  under  favorable 
circumstances  they  may  olten  be  hauled  in  as  fast  as  the  line  can  be 


300  North  Caroi^ina  and  Its  Rksources. 

rebaited  and  thrown  out.  Now  and  again  a  heavy  old  Flasher  (lo- 
botes  surinamensis)  comes  to  hand  in  the  more  southern  waters,  and 
his  pull  on  the  line  is  so  constant  and  powerful  that  the  fishermen  of 
Bald  Head  (Smith's  Island)  have  named  him  the  "Steamboat." 
Flounders  are  often  caught  on  the  hand  line,  but  au  additional  inter- 
esting method  of  taking  them  is  with  the  gig  or  spear  at  night.  Our 
shallow  sounds  are  particularly  good  grounds  for  flounder  spearing 
and  it  is  a  novel  and  exciting  experience  to  many  an  angler  almost 
tired  of  other  forms  of  his  favorite  recreation.  Sheepshead  of  large 
size  are  caught  in  the  neighborhood  of  old  wrecks  and  around 
wharves  and  old  piles  where  they  resort  to  feed  on  the  flinty  shelled 
barnacles  growing  thereon,  and  it  may  be  remarked,  in  passing,  that 
it  takes  a  Sheepshead's  mouth,  with  its  broad  incisors  and  millstone 
grinders,  to  properly  crush  the  stony  envelope  that  encloses  the  juicy 
barnacle.  Considerable  skill  may  be  shown  in  this  branch  of  angling, 
as  the  Sheepshead  is  an  expert  and  experienced  hook  robber. 
Fiddler  crabs  are  the  bait  used,  and  it  is  no  mean  test  of  an  old 
fisherman's  skill  for  him  to  be  able  to  bait  his  hook  so  attractively 
and  securely  as  to  cover  the  bottom  of  his  skiff  with  fine  old  Sheaps- 
head  at  the  close  of  a  daj^'s  fishing.  Of  course,  many  other  kinds  of 
salt  water  fishes  than  those  enumerated  may  be  and  are  taken,  often 
in  some  numbers,  by  the  angler,  but  the  space  alloted  to  this  article 
forbids  further  details. 

In  the  large  bodies  of  fresh  and  brackish  water  and  their  tribu- 
taries, near  the  eastern  seaboard,  including  some  of  the  larger  sounds 
and  lakes,  may  be  had  some  of  the  best  fresh  water  fishing  in  the 
country.  Striped  Bass  of  enormous  size  occur  in  numbers  and  afford 
excellent  sport.  Pike,  two  species.  Pike  Perch,  Speckled  Perch  or 
Strawberry  Bass,  White  Perch,  several  species  of  the  Sun  Perches,  &c., 
are  all  caught  in  quantities  by  the  local  fisherman  on  the  rudest  kind 
of  tackle;  what  might  then  be  done  with  the  improved  tackle  of  the 
up  to  date  angler?  But  beyond  all  of  the  foregoing,  the  noble  Black 
Bass  swims  to  the  front.  Both  species — the  large  mouthed  and  small 
mouthed — occur,  and  it  is  no  exaggeration  to  call  the  Black 
Bass  really  plentiful  throughout  this  region.  It  runs  to  a  large  size, 
too,  six  and  seven  pound  specimen  being  by  no  means  uncommon, 
while  ten  to  fourteen  pounders  oecassionally  occur.  To  give  some  idea 
of  the  abundance  of  these  species,  it  may  be  noted  that  in  1890 — the 
latest  available  statistics — the  catch  for  market  in  one  county  alone 
was  upwards  of  335,000  pounds,  a  catch  that  could  hardly  be  equalled 
by  other  like  area  in  the  country.  The  Bass  are  caught  locally  with 
a  rude  outfit,  but  they  are  the  same  tough  old  fighters  as  ever,  and 


Description  of  Counties.  301 

fish  that  give  sport  with  a  reed  pole  cut  in  the  nearest  swamp  and 
the  line  tied  to  the  end  of  it,  will  certainly  give  so  much  additional 
with  a  modern  split  bamboo  or  lancewood  and  line  and  other  tackle  to 
match.  As  Dr.  J.  A.  Henshall,  the  greatest  living  authority  on  the 
subject,  says:  "  I  consider  him  inch  for  inch  and  pound  for  pound, 
the  gamest  fish  that  swims."  Our  Black  Bass  is  known  locally  as 
' '  Chub  ' '  and  ' '  Welshman  ' '  and  in  the  extreme  southern  part  of  the 
State  he  is  even  called  a  '"Trout." 


DESCRIPTION  OF  COUNTIES. 


There  are  ninety-six  counties  in  North  Carolina,  and  each  has  an 
interest  peculiarly  its  own.  The  space  allotted  is  necessarily  small, 
but  this  volume  would  be  incomplete  without  special  reference  to  the 
features  of  soil,  climate,  natural  resource,  or  other  condition  peculiar 
to  any  county.  It  is  the  purpose  of  the  Board  of  Agriculture  to  pre- 
sent impartially  the  characteristics  and  advantages  of  the  several 
counties,  and  to  that  end  sought  the  aid  of  prominent  and  well 
informed  residents  of  each,  to  whom  public  acknowledgment  is  due 
for  the  careful  and  valuable  assistance  rendered.  The  substance  of 
all  revisions  has  been  incorporated,  and  forms  part  of  the  presentation 
of  the  counties,  which  follow  in  their  alphabetical  order.  The  statis- 
tics are  from  the  report  of  the  Auditor,  for  1895. 

ALAMANCE. 

Historically,  this  county  possesses  great  interest.  It  was  the 
focus  of  the  troubles  of  the  Regulators,  and  on  its  soil  was  fought  the 
decisive  battle  between  the  Roj^al  forces  and  those  of  the  rebellious 
colonists,  a  preliminary  to  the  struggle  between  the  Crown  and  the 
colonies,  to  be  continued  until  American  Independence  was  secured 
by  the  success  of  the  latter.  The  county  was  formed  in  1848,  from 
parts  of  Guilford  and  Orange. 

This  county  is  drained  by  the  upper  waters  of  the  Cape  Fear 
river,  and  one  of  its  principal  tributaries,  the  Haw  river,  crosses  it 
from  the  northwestern  to  the  southeastern  corner.  The  soils  of  this 
county  are  largely  fertile  red  clay  loams,  with  oak  and  hickory  forests. 
Slate  hills,  which  rise  to  the  elevation  of  low  mountain  chains,  occupy 
the  southern  end  of  the  county,  and  have  oak  and  pine  forests  and 
thin,  sandy  loam  soils.  The  northern  portion  consists  of  alternating 
tracts  of  gray  sandy  loams  and  red  clays.  The  cotton  belt  barely 
touches  the  southern  edge  of  the  county.  The  upper  end  is  devoted 
to  the  production  of  tobacco,  and  the  whole  of  it  to  grain  crops,  of 
which  the  yield  is  large. 

The  manufacturing  facilities  of  the  county  are  very  great,  and, 
in  number  of  cotton-looms  and  spindles,  Alamance  stands  first  of  all 


302  North  CaroIvIna  and  its  Resources- 

the  counties  in  the  State.  There  are  also  gold  deposits,  both  vein  and 
placer,  in  the  middle  and  southern  sections. 

The  North  Carolina  railroad  runs  through  the  center  of  the 
county,  and  has  been  an  important  stimulus  to  its  industries  and 
general  prosperity.  Graham  is  the  county  seat  and  has  a  population 
in  excess  of  looo.  It  contains  the  Saxapahaw,  Oneida  (Nos.  i,  2  and 
3,)  and  Belmont  cotton  mills.  Haw  River  (town,)  is  the  seat  of  the 
Granite,  the  Thos.  M.  Holt,  and  the  Cora  cotton  mills,  and  has  a 
population  of  1750.  Burlington,  with  a  population  of  more  than 
2,000,  has  nine  cotton  factories,  as  follows:  Glencoe,  I^akeside, 
Juanita,  Carolina,  Alamance,  Aurora,  Elmira,  B.  M.  Holt  and  Wind- 
sor.    There  are  twenty-three  cotton  factories  in  the  county. 

The  leading  product  is  tobacco;  annual  production  reaches  from 
800,000  to  1,000,000  pounds.  Some  cotton  is  produced  in  the  south- 
eastern part  of  the  county.  The  production  of  wheat,  oats  and  corn 
is  large,  while  the  fruits  are  abundant  and  of  excellent  flavor.  Clover 
and  the  better  grasses  flourish  and  much  attention  is  given  to  stock 
raising. 

Alamance  contains  265,776  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $2,306,910; 
and  948  town  lots,  valued  at  $679,499. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — horses,  3,113;  mules,  1,039; 
cattle,  6,781;  hogs,  10,574;  sheep,  3,946. 

The  receipts  from  taxation  give  the  general  State  tax — $10,143.02; 
pensions,  $1,885.92;  schools,  $13,986.34;    county,  $16,810.23. 

The  population;  whites,  12,688;  colored,  5,583;  all  others  3; 
total,  18,271. 

ALEXANDER. 

Alexander,  one  of  the  smallest  counties  in  the  State,  lies  south 
of  Wilkes,  from  which  it  is  separated  by  the  Brushy  mountains,  and 
north  of  the  Catawba  river.  The  county,  especially  in  the  northern 
and  western  sections,  is  traversed  by  spurs  and  high  ridges,  many  of 
which  rise  to  an  elevation  of  2000  feet.  The  drainage  is  southward 
into  the  Catawba  and  eastward  into  the  Yadkin.  The  tributaries 
descending  from  the  mountains  afford  ample  water  power  easily 
accessible.  A  greater  part  of  this  is  yet  undeveloped,  though  there 
are  numerous  grain  mills  and  two  cotton  factories  are  now  in  course 
of  erection. 

The  southeastern  and  middle  sections  are  characterized  by  oak 
forests  and  red  clay  soil,  the  higher  divides  and  ridges  showing  a  large 
admixture  of  pine  and  chestnut,  and  a  more  open  light  colored  soil. 

The  mineral  resources  of  the  county,  supposed  to  be  extensive, 
are  as  yet  undeveloped.  It  is  noted  chiefly  for  the  hiddenite  gem, 
fine  emeralds  and  beautiful  specimens  of  quartz  crystals;  but  gold, 
monazite  and  other  minerals  are  found.  There  are  numerous  mineral 
springs  in  the  county,  and  in  many  instances  the  waters  have  been 
tested  and  found  to  contain  valuable  curative  properties. 

The  cultivation  of  cotton  is  confined  almost  exclusively  to  the 
southern  and  eastern  sections.  The  middle  section  is  well  adapted  to 
the  growth  of  tobacco,  where  some  fine  grades  are  produced,  and  more 


Description  of  Counties.  303 


attention  is  paid  to  this  crop  every  year.  The  principal  crops  of  the 
county  are  corn,  wheat,  rye  and  oats.  Many  sections  produce  fine 
varieties  of  fruits.  The  sides  and  coves  of  the  Brushy  mountains  are 
especially  noted  for  their  apple  orchards,  yielding  fruit  of  delicious 
flavor,  large  size  and  a  never  failing  crop,  being  protected  by  the  exist- 
ence of  a  thermal  belt  on  the  sides  of  the  mountains.  There  is  a  great 
future  for  fruit  in  this  county. 

The  tax  returns  for  1895  show  156,835  acres  of  land,  valued  at 
$632,239,  and  181  town  lots,  valued  at  $52,363. 

Domestic  animals  in  the  county:  1,015  horses;  1,356  mules;  4,229 
cattle;  4,420  hogs;  2,554  sheep. 

The  receipts  for  taxation  are:  For  general  State  purposes, $2, 169.44; 
pensions,  $482.46;  schools,  $1,787.81;  county,  $4,805.12. 

The  population  is — whites,  8,558;  colored,  842;  all  others,  3;  total 

9.403- 

ALLEGHANY. 

Alleghany  county  is  situated  on  the  Virginia  border,  and  is 
bounded  southward  in  part  by  the  curves  of  the  Blue  Ridge.  In  its 
middle  section  is  a  parallel  and  higher  chain.  Almost  its  entire  sur- 
face is  drained  northward  into  the  New  and  Kanawha  rivers,  this, 
with  the  two  following  counties,  constituting  the  New  river  plateau 
or  basin,  the  only  part  of  the  State  drained  by  the  Ohio.  It  lies  on 
the  northeastern  end  of  the  long,  narrow,  elevated  transmontane 
plateau,  and  has  an  average  elevation  of  not  less  than  2,800 feet.  Its 
forests  are  of  oak,  walnut,  poplar,  chestnut  and  pine,  with  an  admix- 
ture of  white  pine  in  the  coves  of  the  Blue  Ridge  and  between  that 
and  the  Peach  Bottom  range.  Its  soils  are  the  common  gray  and  yel- 
low upland  loams.  Along  the  banks  of  the  New  river,  and  its  prin- 
cipal tributaries,  especially  lyittle  river,  are  considerable  tracts  of 
bottom  lands.  Its  agriculture  is  divided  between  the  production  of 
grains  and  grasses  and  cattle-raising.  The  most  improved  herds  of 
beef  cattle  to  be  found  in  the  State,  are  in  this  county.  Its  products 
of  buckwheat  and  rye  are  next  to  the  largest  in  the  State. 

It  has  some  mineral  of  importance — iron  and  copper  of  good 
quality  are  found  in  inviting  conditions. 

It  is  a  region  well  suited  to  the  grasses,  and  the  industry  of  dairy 
farming,  its  elevation  assuring  a  temperate  but  not  a  cold  climate  in 
winter,  and  exemption  from  the  heats  of  summer. 

This  county  contains  144,919  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $374,511, 
and  66  town  lots,  valued  at  $8,775. 

The  number  of  domestic  animals  is — horses,  1,851;  mules,  142; 
6,899  cattle;  5,743  hogs;  8,045  sheep. 

Receips  for  taxation  are:  For  State  use,  $1,345.99;  pensions, 
$303.38;  schools,  $2,636.09;  county,  $1,801.06. 

Population:    white,  4,967;  colored,  519;  total,  5,4.86. 

ANSON. 

Anson  county  lies  on  the  southern  border  of  the  State  in  the 
Piedmont  Plateau,  and  is  bounded  on  the  east  by  the  Pee  Dee  river. 
About  one-third  of  its  territory,  in  the  southern  portion,  belongs  to 


304  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


the  long-leaf  pine  belt,  with  its  characteristic  soils  and  forests.  The 
northwestern  and  northern  sections  of  the  county  consist  of  slate  soils 
(gray,  gravelly  clays),  occupied  by  forests  of  white  oak,  short-leaf 
pine,  hickory,  dogwood,  etc.  The  river  hills  near  the  Pee  Dee  have 
a  sandy  and  gravelly  loam,  becoming  more  red  and  clayey  on  the 
lower  slopes.  There  lies  across  the  middle  of  the  county,  in  a  north- 
east and  southwest  direction,  a  low,  nearly  level  tract,  five  or  six 
miles  wide,  of  brown,  yellow  and  gray  sandy  and  clay  loam  soils, 
derived  from  the  clays  and  sandstones  of  the  Trias.  These  lands  are 
naturally  quite  productive,  and  have  been  devoted  mainly  to  the 
culture  of  cotton,  which  is  the  most  important  industry  of  the  county, 
although  the  corn  crops  are  quite  large.  For  many  years  cotton  was 
the  chief  agricultural  product  of  the  county,  it  being  the  largest 
producer  in  the  State,  and  the  quality  of  the  staple  ranking  higher 
than  that  of  any  upland  staple  produced  anywhere  in  the  cotton  area 
of  the  United  States,  north  of  Mobile.  The  annual  average  for  the 
cotton  crop  is  about  12,000  bales.  The  county  is  traversed  from  east 
to  west  by  the  Carolina  Central  railroad,  and  is  connected  with 
Cheraw,  S.  C. ,  on  the  south,  by  anothei  railroad  of  a  length  of  twenty- 
two  miles.  On  the  Carolina  Central  lie  valuable  and  exhaustless 
quarries  of  brown  sandstone  of  superior  quality,  and  largely  used 
throughout  the  State  for  building  purposes.  There  are  also  granites, 
gray  and  blueish,  which  are  attracting  attention. 

Wadesboro  is  the  county  seat,  on  the  Carolina  Central  railroad, 
and  at  the  northern  terminus  of  the  Wadesboro  and  Cheraw  railroad. 
It  has  a  population,  by  the  last  national  census,  of  1,198.  It  is  a 
large  interior  cotton  market,  the  annual  receipts  varying  from  15,000 
to  20,000  bales.  It  has  a  cotton  factory  and  a  silk-mill,  the  only  one 
in  the  State,  where  silk  yarns  are  converted  into  thread  for  northern 
silk-weaving  establishments.  Near  the  tov^^'n  are  noted  quarries  of 
much  valued  sandstone.  Polkton  has  a  population  of  247,  L^ilesville 
of  222,  and  Morven  a  smaller  one. 

There  has  been  a  great  advance  move  along  the  southern 
half  of  the  county,  upon  the  sandy  soils,  in  the  quantity  and 
quality  of  the  crops  there  produced.  By  a  judicious  system  of  crop 
rotation  in  this  part  of  the  county  and  by  the  free  use  of  the  cow  pea 
as  a  fertilizer,  it  has  been  shown  that  good  paying  crops  of  wheat 
may  be  produced  on  the  sandy  lands,  and  the  output  of  cotton  quite 
doubled  per  acre.  Intelligent  farmers  by  actual  experiment  on  these 
sandy  lands  have  shown  that  grapes  may  be  grown  thereon  of  many 
different  varieties. 

It  is,  however,  with  the  clay  and  cow  pea  that  the  most  pronounced 
changes  and  improvements  have  been  wrought,  not  only  in  the  sandy, 
but  also  in  the  entire  lands  of  the  county.  The  ash  element  fertil- 
izers have  proven  an  excellent  manure  for  peas  in  the  sandy  lands. 
They  have  disappointed  those  who  have  used  them  under  peas  on  the 
red  clay  soils  of  the  county. 

Every  variety  of  clover  can  be  grown  with  success  in  this  county. 
"Water  meadows  prove  very  valuable  to  our  people.  It  may  be  said 
that  the  husbandry  of  the  county  is  decidedly  improved;  the  estab- 


DESCRiPTioisi  OF  Counties.  305 


lishment  of  a  State  farm  in  the  county,  whereon  convicts  are  worked, 
is  an  object  lesson  to  our  labor  and  people. 

The  county  contains  330,625  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $920,587, 
and  743  town  lots,  valued  at  $227,613.  Of  domestic  animals  there  are 
i,ii7horses;  i,9i2mules;  8, 130  hogs;  1,588  sheep.  Product  of  taxation 
— for  State  use,  $3,822.53;  pensions,  $854.38;  schools,  $7,815.73; 
county,  $11,385.64.  Population — white,  10,237;  colored,  9,790;  all 
others,  3;  total,  15,628. 

A5HE. 

Ashe  county  lies  in  the  northwest  corner  of  the  State,  adjoining 
the  States  of  Virginia  and  Tennessee,  its  southeastern  edge  resting 
upon  the  summits  of  the  Blue  Ridge  mountains.  It  is  a  valley  of 
hills,  with  an  elevation  of  more  than  3,000  feet,  and  with  an  occasional 
mountain  of  more  or  less  prominence.  It  is  drained  by  the  north  and 
south  forks  of  New  river,  which  meet  in  the  northeast  corner.  In  the 
main,  its  soil  is  fertile,  and  superior  in  quality  to  that  of  contiguous 
counties.  Wheat,  as  well  as  the  other  cereals,  are  grown  to  per- 
fection, especially  in  the  northeast  part  of  the  county.  Ashe  produces 
more  rye  than  any  other  county  in  the  State,  and  stands  among  the 
first  in  the  production  of  buckv/heat.  Grass  and  cattle  count  for 
much  in  this  region,  the  raising  and  shipping  of  live  stock  forming 
an  important  industry.  It  is  the  finest  grass  county  in  the  Mountain 
region.  In  no  part  of  western  North  Carolina  do  fruits  and  vegetables 
attain  a  higher  degree  of  perfection.  White  pine  and  all  the  oaks,  as 
w^ell  as  poplar,  sugar  maple,  locust  and  wild  cherry  become  important 
constituents  of  the  forests  in  many  places.  Ashe  county  is  rich  in 
mineral  deposits  such  as  native  copper,  ores  of  gold  and  silver, 
together  with  large  bodies  of  magnetic  iron  ore  are  found.  The 
mineral  resources  are  comparatively  undeveloped. 

Jefferson  is  the  county  seat,  with  a  population  of  473. 

Ashe  county  contains  254,652  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $773,782, 
and  sixty-eight  town  lots  valued  at  $18,220. 

The  number  of  domestic  animals  is  3,757  horses;  620  mules; 
14,576  cattle;  11,505  hogs;  17,708  sheep. 

Product  of  taxation — for   State   purposes,    $2,866.90;    pensions, 

.15;  schools,  $6,205.29;  county,  $5,680.27. 

Population — white,  15,033;  colored,  595;  total  15,628. 

BEAUFORT. 

Beaufort  was  erected  into  a  separate  county  prior  to  1775,  and 
named  in  honor  of  the  Duke  of  Beaufort,  one  of  the  original  L,ords 
Proprietors  of  Carolina. 

Beaufort  county  lies  south  of  Washington  county,  on  both  sides 
of  the  Pamlico  River,  which  in  this  part  of  its  course,  is  an  arm  of 
the  sound  of  the  same  name,  from  two  to  six  miles  wide,  and  throws 
off  several  wide  projections  or  baj^s  into  the  county  on  both  sides.  It 
is  bounded  on  the  east  by  Pungo  river,  another  broad  arm  of  Pamlico 
sound,  whose  waters  also  penetrate  the  county  in  numerous  wide 
navigable  bayous.  In  the  northern  section,  and  across  its  whole 
20 


3o6  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


breadth,  lies  the  western  extremity  of  the  great  intersound  swamp, 
which  attains  its  greatest  elevation  here  of  forty  feet  above  tide.  In 
this  culminating  swell,  between  the  Roanoke  and  Pamlico  rivers,  rise 
numerous  tributaries  of  these  rivers  and  of  the  sounds.  Along  the 
courses  of  the  streams,  as  they  flow  out  from  this  swell,  are  consid- 
erable marginal  tracts  of  semi-swamp  and  oak  flats,  which  are  very 
productive.  There  are  also  belts  of  cypress  swamp  near  Pamlico 
river  and  the  other  streams  on  both  sides,  and  south  of  the  swamp,  in 
the  middle  as  well  as  along  the  western  edge  of  the  county,  the  land 
is  mostl}^  a  level  piny  woods,  with  a  light  sandy  soil. 

In  the  last  tvv'o  or  three  years  it  has  been  discovered  that  a  large 
part  of  these  lands  will  produce  the  fine  bright  tobacco  so  much  sought 
for  by  manufacturers,  and  already  a  considerable  number  of  farmers 
from  the  old  tobacco  counties  of  Granville,  Vance  and  others  in  that 
section,  have  come  to  this  county  and  engaged  in  tobacco  growing. 

The  lands  near  Pamlico  river,  on  both  sides  are  also  well  adapted 
to  the  production  of  early  vegetables,  and  the  trucking  interest  is 
already  quite  extensive  and  growing — as  many  as  50,000  barrels  of 
early  potatoes  have  been  shipped  from  the  county  to  northern  markets 
in  a  single  season. 

In  the  eastern  portion  of  the  county,  and  on  both  sides  of  the 
Pamlico  river  are  large  tracts  of  oak  flats  and  semi-swamp,  which 
are  among  the  most  productive  soils  of  the  region.  Near  the  mouth 
of  the  Pungo  river  occurs  one  of  the  largest  prairies  or  natural 
meadows,  {Savajinas ,')  in  the  State,  embracing  an  area  of  1,200  or  1,500 
acres.  It  is  treeless  and  fringed  by  short-leaf  pine  and  oak  forests, 
and  has  a  fine,  close,  gray  sandy  soil,  as  impervious  as  clay.  Its  sub- 
soil is  of  the  same  character,  but  is  more  clayey,  and  is  of  a  slightly 
yellowish  color.  Marl  is  found  in  various  parts  of  the  county,  but  is 
little  used. 

Fishing  is  an  industry  of  considerable  importance.  The  catch  of 
herrings  and  shad  is  second  only  in  importance  to  the  catch  in  the 
Albemarle  section.  Great  quantities  of  these  fish  are  shipped  fresh, 
packed  in  ice,  to  the  northern  markets,  and  are  also  sent  into  the  inter- 
ior of  the  State.  The  same  conditions  exist  in  this  county  as  are 
found  in  other  counties  for  the  raising  of  cattle.  The  Scuppernong 
grape  and  all  of  its  varieties  are  indigenous.  The  celebrated  Meish 
grape,  named  in  honor  of  its  discoverer,  Mr.  Albert  Meish,  a  native  of 
Westphalia,  Germany,  had  its  origin  in  this  county. 

Outside  of  farming  and  trucking,  the  manufacture  of  lumber  is  the 
largest  interest.  In  the  town  of  Washington,  the  county  seat,  are 
four  large  saw  mills,  two  large  planing  mills  and  five  or  six  small 
mills  engaged  in  wood  work  of  various  kinds.  There  is  also  one 
large  rice  mill,  one  grain  elevator  and  one  foundry  and  machine  shop, 
and  many  other  smaller  manufacturing  works.  There  are  four  trains  a 
day  on  the  railroad  that  connects  Washington  with  the  Coast  Line 
system,  besides  numerous  steamers  running  to  Norfolk  and  other 
points  on  the  river  and  sounds. 

To  those  seeking  a  home,  there  is  no  more  important  factor  than 
a  good   healthy  climate.     In  this   particular  Beaufort    is    especially 


Description  op  Counties.  307 


blest.  In  the  winter  months  there  are  few  cold  spell;-:,  lasting  from 
two  days  to  a  week,  and  during  which  the  thermometer  shows  a 
general  average  of  about  32°  Fahrenheit.  These  cold  spells  soon  give 
way  to  the  warm  exhilarating  sunshine,  and  the  thermometer  rises 
again  to  its  normal  average  for  the  winter,  which  is  between  50°  and 
65°  Fahrenheit.  In  summer  the  thermometer  seldom  records  a  tem- 
perature of  over  90°  Fahrenheit  in  the  middle  of  the  day,  and  even 
this  is  tempered  by  the  gentle  breezes  which  come  from  the  broad  ex- 
panse of  salt  water  to  the  east.  The  general  average  for  the  summer 
months  is  about  80°. 

The  average  depth  of  the  channel  of  the  Pamlico  river  from  its 
mouth  to  the  western  line  of  the  county  is  about  ten  feet,  and  any 
vessel  drawing  not  more  than  eight  feet  loaded,  can  easily  go  to  the 
extreme  western  end  of  the  county.  The  county  is  divided  by  it 
nearly  into  equal  parts,  and,  with  its  numerous  tributaries,  it  serves  a 
most  useful  purpose  as  a  means  of  getting  to  market  the  results  of 
labor.  By  means  of  it  a  large  commerce  is  carried  on,  both  by  steam 
and  sailing  vessels,  with  the  ports  to  the  north,  and  some  foreign 
commerce.     Its  banks  are  lined  with  farms  and  steam-mills. 

The  swamp  lands  are  considered  to  be  among  the  best  in  the 
world,  being  equal  in  fertility  to  the  bottom  lands  of  the  Nile, though, 
unlike  them,  not  depending  upon  an  annual  overflow  for  their  fertil- 
ity. These  lands  are,  in  all  cases,  found  at  the  head  of  the  num- 
erous streams,  which  rise  in  the  county  and  feed  Pamlico  and  Pungo 
rivers.  Washington  is  the  county  seat,  and  is  a  place  of  considerable 
commercial  importance,  with  a  population  of  5,000. 

The  number  of  acres  in  this  county  is  363,11 1,  valued  at  $1,223,- 
070;  and  686  town  lots,  valued  at  $566,987.  The  number  of  live 
stock  is — horses,  1,895;  mules,  881;  goats,  336;  cattle,  9,870;  hogs, 
20,183;  sheep,  4,581.  Taxes — State,  $5,790.94;  pensions,  $1,198.39; 
schools,  $9,987.70;  county,  $12,812.94.  Population — white,  11,869; 
colored,  9,203;  total,  21,072. 

BERTIE. 

Bertie  county  lies  south  of  Hertford,  in  the  angle  between  Roa- 
noke and  Chowan  rivers,  and  consists,  for  the  most  part,  of  level  piny 
uplands,  having  a  sandy  loam  soil;  but  the  northern  part  of  it  is  largely 
pine  flats,  having  a  fertile  ash-colored  fine  sandy  soil.  Recent  experi- 
ments have  demonstrated  that  these  lands  are  well  suited  to  the  pro- 
duction of  the  finest  bright  tobaccos.  In  the  southern  part,  near  the 
Roanoke  river,  and  along  its  chief  tributary,  the  Cashie,  are  wide 
tracts  of  level  oak  and  pine  lands,  which  are  very  productive.  The 
Roanoke  river,  through  almost  the  whole  length  of  this  county,  is 
bordered  by  a  tract  of  alluvial  lands  from  three  to  six  miles  wide, 
subject  to  annual  overflows,  and  covered  with  heavy  forests  of  cypress, 
maple,  ash,  etc.,  which  is  among  the  most  fertile  of  the  continent. 
While  these  Roanoke  lands  are  subject  to  overflow,  they  are  very 
valuable  and  can  be  easily  reclaimed  by  a  system  of  dykes;  the 
native  grasses  are  so  abundant,  as  to  maintain  great  herds  of  cattle, 
while  the  reed  grazing  lasts  the  j^ear  around.     In  the  middle  region, 


3o8  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


on  and  near  the  Cashie  and  its  tributaries,  are  considerable  bodies  of 
valuable  swamp  and  semi-swamp  lands.  Cotton,  corn,  tobacco,  pea- 
nuts, potatoes,  fish  and  lumber  make  up  the  list  of  industries  of  this 
county.  The  fish  industry  is  very  extensive  and  profitable;  the 
water  frontage  suitable  to  this  business  is  one  hundred  miles  in  length. 
Marl  is  found  in  the  southern  and  middle  sections.  Fruits  of  all 
kinds  may  be  raised;  peaches  and  pears  to  great  perfection.  The 
fruit  crops  seldom  fail,  as  the  frosts  are  rarely  late  enough  to  do  dam- 
age. With  improved  railroad  and  ample  water  facilities,  trucking 
and  fruit  growing  are  becoming  important  industrial  features. 

The  public  schools  of  the  county  have  been  carried  to  a  high 
state  of  proficiency,  and  in  every  neighborhood  there  are  churches 
and  academies. 

Windsor  is  the  county  seat,  with  a  population  of  750.  Lewiston  has 
a  population  of  375.     There  are  twenty-one  post  ofl&ces  in  the  county. 

The  number  of  acres  in  this  county  is  382,331;  valued  at 
$1,450.04;  and  376  town  lots,  valued  at  $191,345. 

The  number  of  domestic  animals  is — horses,  2,230;  mules,  1,148; 
goats,  158;  10,609  cattle;  25,422  hogs;  5,261  sheep. 

The  product  of  taxation  is — for  State  purposes,  $5,406.31;  pen- 
sions, $1,119.55;  schools,  $9,434.85;  county,  $8,675.27. 

Population — white,  7,885;  colored,  11,291;  total,  19,176. 

BLADEN. 

Bladen  county  lies  south  of  Cumberland,  and,  like  it,  on  both 
sides  of  the  Cape  Fear  river.  It  has  narrow  zones  of  pines  running 
parallel  to  the  river  courses  nearly  the  whole  length  of  the  county, 
and  it  also  abounds  in  cypress  swamps  and  alluvial  "  bottoms  "  along 
its  streams.  There  are  also  large  bodies  of  level  piny  woods.  Marl 
is  found  in  the  bluffs  of  the  river.  On  many  of  the  streams  are 
extensive  bodies  of  gum  and  C3^press  swamps.  This  county  has  a 
considerable  area  of  pine  lands,  with  fine  clay  sub-soil,  which  when 
properly  cultivated,  produce  a  bale  of  cotton  to  the  acre.  Its  agricul- 
ture is  largely  confined  to  cotton,  corn,  potatoes,  peas,  and  forage 
crops.  The  production  of  naval  stores  and  the  lumbering  interests 
still  occupy  the  attention  of  a  considerable  number  of  her  people. 
The  river  swamps  contain  large  quantities  of  oak,  ash,  gum  and  other 
valuable  timbers,  for  v/hich  there  is  an  increasing  demand.  On  the 
western  side  of  the  Cape  Fear  river  the  lands  are  higher  and  less 
occupied  by  swamps  than  on  the  eastern,  but  there  are  fine  produc- 
tive lands  along  the  Cape  Fear — productive  in  corn,  and  excellent  for 
tobacco  and  trucking  as  well  as  for  certain  fruits.  The  eastern  side, 
near  the  river,  has  good  bottom  lands  extending  back  some  distance 
from  the  river,  and  these  are  succeeded  towards  the  east  by  entensive 
Swamps  extending  along  the  margins  of  South  and  Black  rivers,  and 
including  the  large  area  of  Colley  swamp;  therefore  the  area  of  arable 
land  is  relatively  small.  On  this  side  are  found  a  number  of  small 
lakes. 

The  Carolina  Central  railroad  traverses  the  western  portion  of 
the  county,  which  together  with  the  streams,  affords  ample  facilities 


Description  of  Counties.  309 


for  transporting  to  market  the  leading  products  of  farm  and  forest. 
Klizabethtown  is  the  county  seat. 

Bladen  county  contains  456,848  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $871,- 
590;  and  82  town  lots,  valued  at  $23,847.  The  number  of  domestic 
animals  is — horses,  649;  mules,  759;  goats,  1,010;  cattle,  8,258;  hogs, 
21,801;  sheep,  3.478.  The  product  of  taxation  is — general  taxes, 
$2,807.95;  pensions,  $639.99;  schools,  $5,863.61;  county,  $7,661.71. 
Population — white,  8,646;  colored,  8,117;  total,  16,763. 

BRUNSWICK. 

Brunswick  county  lies  on  the  west  side  of  the  Cape  Fear  river, 
and  touches  the  Atlantic  on  the  south.  Its  central  and  western  por- 
tion is  occupied  by  the  great  pocoson  known  as  Green  Swamp, 
which,  with  its  many  projections,  covers  nearly  half  the  territory  of  the 
county.  The  resources  of  this  swamp  are  not  well  established, 
though  it  is  believed  to  contain  large  quantities  of  valuable  timber  of 
various  kinds  within  its  borders,  as  well  as  a  good  deal  of  arable 
land.  That  portion  of  Green  Swamp  which  lies  in  Brunswick  county, 
is  owned  by  a  non-resident  corporation,  and  has  not  for  several  years 
been  actively  worked,  and  does  not  therefore  contribute  to  the  gen- 
eral prosperity  of  the  countj^,  beyond  its  value  for  taxation.  The  pro- 
duction of  naval  stores,  formerly  the  principal  occupation  of  the 
people,  has  given  place  to  agriculture,  and  with  this  change,  a  con- 
dition of  greater  prosperity  has  begun.  There  are  many  fine  farms, 
producing  a  sufficient  food  supply  for  all  the  citizens  of  the  county, 
Lumber  is  produced  only  in  sufficient  quantity  to  supply  local  wants, 
very  little  being  exported  oiit  of  the  county. 

The  production  of  fish  and  clams  has  largely  increased,  both 
for  domestic  and  market  purposes. 

The  productions  of  Brunswick  county  are,  therefore,  mostly 
agricultural,  and  consist  of  rice,  corn,  potatoes,  peanuts  and  cotton. 
To  which  may  be  added  the  production  of  the  sea,  bordering  the 
whole  south  of  the  county. 

The  abandonment  of  the  turpentine  business,  made  necessary  by 
the  death  of  the  pines  and  the  exhaustion  of  the  trees,  has  proved  a 
blessing  in  disguise,  and  the  change  to  the  clearing  up  and  cultivation 
of  the  land  has  been  very  beneficial;  enlarging  the  minds  of  the 
people  and  causing  them  to  pay  more  attention  to  education.  There 
are  more  schools  and  churches,  and  with  better  railroad  facilities, 
Brunswick  would  be  a  fine  field  for  the  settler  .who  wants  productive 
land,  a  genial  climate,  and  a  friendly  people  to  dwell  among. 

Southport,  the  county  seat  of  Brunswick,  is  situated  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Cape  Fear  river,  within  view  of  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  and  only 
about  four  miles  from  the  bar,  over  which  vessels  drawing  about 
twenty-two  feet  of  water  can  now  safely  be  brought,  with  good  pros- 
pect of  further  increase  of  depth  in  the  future. 

Southport  occupies  a  commanding  though  undeveloped  position 
for  the  purpose  of  commerce,  having  a  capacious  and  safe  harbor  with 
deep  water  on  its  front.  It  also  possesses  the  important  requisite  of 
healthfulness  and  freedom  from  insect  pests.     A  railroad  is  now  under 


3IO  North  Carolina  and  its  REvSources. 


construction  connecting  with  other  existing  railroads  at  a  point  near 
Wilmington. 

Southport  is  better  known  to  the  old  residents  of  the  Cape  Fear 
section,  as  Smithville.  It  was  for  sometime  the  residence  of  the  late 
Gov.  Benjamin  Smith,  whose  memory  has  been  suitably  honored  by 
the  University  of  North  Carolina,  of  which  institution  he  was  a  great 
friend  in  the  early  period  of  its  history. 

It  has  a  population  of  about  1,200.  In  its  immediate  vicinity  is 
Fort  Caswell,  now  in  ruins,  and  many  other  spots  of  historic  interest. 
It  was  known  as  Fort  Johnson  before  it  became  Smithville  and  has 
been  a  military  position  from  the  earliest  times. 

It  is  expected  that  an  extensive  coaling  station  will  shortly  be 
erected. 

The  number  of  acres  of  land  in  the  county  is  388,255,  valued  at 
$640,564;  and  313  town  lots,  valued  at  $163,475. 

The  number  of  domestic  animals  is — horses,  424;  mules,  224; 
goats,  950;  cattle,  7,834;  hogs,  15,019;  sheep,  4,296. 

Proceeds  of  taxation — State,  $2,323. 12;  pensions,  $514.80;  schools, 
$5,413.14;  county,  $3,185.16. 

Population — white,  6,139;  colored,  4,767,  total,  10,900. 


Buncombe  county,  once  so  ample  in  its  area  as  to  receive,  and 
almost  merit,  the  title  of  the  "State  of  Buncombe,"  is  now  much 
reduced  in  extent,  and  is  no  larger  than  many  of  the  counties  of 
which  it  is  the  parent.  Its  eastern  boundary  follows  the  line  of  the 
Blue  Ridge,  its  crests  forming  the  dividing  line  between  McDowell 
and  Buncombe.  On  the  west  the  New  Found  range  marks  the  sep- 
aration from  Haywood  county.  Madison  on  the  north,  and  Hender- 
son on  the  south,  have  no  natural  boundaries,  the  lines  of  division 
being  artificial. 

The  area  of  the  county  is  620  square  miles;  Nearly  the  whole 
surface  is  susceptible  of  improvement,  for,  though  the  mountains 
predominate  as  natural  features,  there  are  few  without  deep  soil  to 
the  top,  and  much  of  the  best  pasture  land  and  a  large  portion  of 
land  now  used  for  the  culture  of  fine  yellow  tobacco  is  mountain  side 
or  mountain  top. 

Buncombe  county  is  bisected  by  the  French  Broad  river,  which^ 
rising  in  Transylvania,  pursues  a  course  nearly  north,  and  passes  out 
of  the  State  into  Tennessee  at  Paint  Rock.  It  is  a  stream  of  consid- 
erable volume  and  of  surprising  width  for  a  mountain  stream.  At 
Asheville  it  is  1 10  yards  wide,  and  little  less  than  that  for  twenty 
miles  above.  Below,  the  character  of  the  stream  changes  and  the 
width  varies.  At  Asheville  the  rapids  begin;  above  that  point  the 
current  is  gentle,  and  there  is  natural  navigation,  with  some  obstruc- 
tions which  the  National  Government  has  partially  removed,  up  to 
Brevard,  in  Transylvania,  a  distance  by  water  of  forty  miles.  The 
water  power  of  the  river  has  not  been  utilized.  The  Swannanoa  is 
the  only  other  river  in  the  county  of  any  importance — more  noted  for 
its  beauty   than  for  its  usefulness,  but  also  offering   immense  water 


Descriptiox  of  Counties.  311 


power,  as  yet  not  developed.  Numerous  small  streams  prove  much 
more  useful  in  their  applications  to  mills  and  machinery  than  the 
larger  bodies  of  water. 

The  valleys  of  Buncombe  county  are  rather  limited  in  extent. 
The  general  surface  of  the  county  is  hilly,  rather  than  mountainous, 
offering  facilities  for  agricultural  operations  largely  used,  though  the 
mountains  are  sufficiently  lofty  and  abundant  to  give  a  mountainous 
character  to  the  landscape. 

The  soil  of  Buncombe  is  sufficientl}'  productive  in  all  the  cereals, 
the  grasses  and  fruits  of  the  temperate  zone.  Dairying,  and  the  rais- 
ing of  dairy  stock  is  pursued  under  manj^  advantageous  circumstances. 
Wheat  produces  an  average  of  ten  bushels  to  the  acre,  but  with  the 
introduction  of  clover  and  improved  cultivation  this  is  largely  in- 
creased. Oats  yield  exuberantly;  corn  thrives  and  produces  from 
thirty  to  fifty  bushels  to  the  acre;  clover  and  all  the  grasses  are  so  w^ell 
favored  by  soil  and  climate  as  to  appear  indigenous.  The  fruits  find 
a  congenial  home  here,  especially  the  apple, which,  in  size  and  flavor, 
and  in  abundant,  healthy  5'ield,  is  seldom  equalled.  The  Irish 
potato  here  finds  a  favoring  soil  and  climate,  the  yield  being  great 
and  of  superior  quality.  All  kinds  of  vegetables  grow  with  luxur- 
iance, and  the  cabbage  is  especially  noticeable  for  size  and  good 
quality. 

The  timber  of  this  county  includes  all  the  varieties  known  in  the 
mountains — oak,  hickor}^  walnut,  elm,  beech,  birch,  s^'camore, 
maple,  locust,  bucke^'e,  pine,  the  hemlock,  spruce  and  others,  with 
an  undergrowth  of  chinquepin,  dogwood,  laurel,  kalmia,  azalea  and 
other  shrubby  trees. 

Among  the  products  of  the  county  is  tobacco,  the  one  which  has 
most  largel}^  and  most  rapidl}^  added  to  the  profits  of  agriculture.  It 
has  been  cultivated  as  a  general  crop  only  wuthin  the  past  fifteen 
years  and  the  soil  of  the  hills  dowm  the  French  Broad,  and  back  a  few 
miles  from  the  river,  seem  better  adapted  to  its  culture  than  the 
southern  portion  of  the  county.  The  quality  produced  is  almost  alto- 
gether the  bright  yellow,  of  a  quality  that  commands  the  highest 
prices.  The  culture  is  increased  under  growing  demand  and  con- 
venient markets,  and  it  has  become  the  money  crop  of  a  greater  part 
of  the  count5\ 

Buncombe  county  is  traversed  by  three  railroads,  all  owned  by 
the  Southern  Railwaj^  companj',  the  main  stem,  or  Western  North 
Carolina  road,  enters  the  county  from  the  mouth  of  the  Swannanoa 
tunnel.  From  Ashevilleto  the  State  line  at  Paint  Rock,  fortj^-three 
miles,  the  road  is  a  part  of  the  fourth  division  of  the  Southern.  The 
Murphy  branch  connects  Asheville  and  Murph}^,  130  miles  distant. 
The  Asheville  and  Spartanburg  division  is  seventy  miles  in  length. 
There  is  a  double  daily  service  over  the  main  line,  also  on  the  A.  &  S. 
division. 

Asheville  is  the  county-seat,  a  city  containing  now  a  population 
of  upwards  of  12,000,  with  all  the  conveniences  of  a  city,  with  num- 
erous fine  hotels  unsurpassed  in  the  South,  electric  and  gas  lighting, 
electric  railways,  waterworks,  sewerage,  improved  paved  streets,  tele- 


312  North  Carolina  and  its  Ricsourcbs. 


phone  exchange,  ice  factories,  etc.  A  complete  system  of  public 
schools  for  both  races,  several  private  schools  of  merit,  including  the 
famous  Bingham  Military  School  for  boys  are  in  operation.  Its  fame 
as  a  health  and  pleasure  resort  extends  over  the  continent. 

Buncombe  county  contains  381,388  acres  of  land,  valued  at 
$3,227,695,  and  4,433  town  lots,  valued  at  $3,739,710.  The  number 
of  domestic  animals  is  4,086  horses,  1,875  niules,  12,070  cattle,  9,709 
hogs  and  3,463  sheep.  Taxes — State,  $20,543.77;  pensions,  $3,766.15; 
schools,  $27,889.29;  county,  $49,189.51.  Population — white,  28,640; 
colored,  6,626;  all  others,  11;  total,  35,266. 


Burke  county  lies  southwest  of  Caldwell  on  both  sides  of  the 
Catawba  river,  which  traverses  its  middle  section  and  drains  its 
entire  territory.  Its  southern  flank  lies  upon  the  crests  of  the  South 
Mountains,  which  here  reach  an  elevation  of  over  3,000  feet  above 
the  sea  and  send  off  spurs  in  a  northerly  and  northeasterly  direction 
almost  to  the  middle  of  the  county.  The  northern  end  is  elevated 
upon  two  of  the  most  massive  spurs  of  the  Blue  Ridge,  Linville  and 
Table  Rock,  which  here  rise  to  an  elevation  of  over  4,000  feet;  and 
from  this  are  thrust  out  numerous  long  and  rugged  spurs  and  ridges 
in  a  southeasterly  course.  A  large  part  of  the  territorj^  of  this 
county,  therefore,  is  mountainous,  and  the  average  elevation  is  not 
less  than  1,300  feet.  In  its  middle  section  are  considerable  tracts  of 
red  clay  soils,  with  forests  predominantly  of  oak,  hickory,  etc.,  while 
the  remainder  of  the  county  is  characterized  in  this  respect  by  mixed 
forests  of  oak,  pine,  chestnut,  etc.,  with  white  pine  in  the  mountains 
of  the  south  and  north.  The  river  and  creek  bottoms  are  very  exten- 
sive and  fertile,  and  have  light-colored  clays,  loams,  and  sandy  soils. 
In  the  middle  section,  on  both  sides  of  the  river,  the  uplands  usually 
have  a  red  clay  soil  and  oak  forests.  The  other  parts  of  the  county 
have  soils  of  a  lighter  color,  yellowish  to  gray  loams,  and  forests  of 
the  usual  mixed  character  of  the  region — oak,  pine,  chestnut,  sour- 
wood,  dogwood,  etc.  Placer  gold  mines  are  numerous  in  the  South 
Mountains,  and  there  are  several  vein  mines  on  the  north  side  of  the 
count5^  Cotton  and  tobacco  have  been  added  to  the  list  of  cultivated 
crops  within  a  few  years,  but  grain  forms  the  chief  crop. 

The  diffusion  of  gold  through  this  county  is  remarkable.  It  is  found 
chiefly  on  the  south  side  of  the  line  of  the  Western  North  Carolina 
railroad,  and  most  largely  among  the  South  Mountains,  on  its  spurs 
and  among  its  valleys.  The  gold  area  extends  into  the  adjoining 
county  of  Rutherford,  the  placer  workings  of  which  have  been  only 
surpassed  in  profit  by  those  in  California,  and  at  one  time  the  resort 
to  them  was  as  large  and  tumultuous  as  ever  animated  the  immortal 
"Forty-niners."  The  quantity  of  gold  taken  here  between  1832 
and  1842  was  so  great,  and  the  needs  of  a  circulating  medium  for  the 
convenience  of  miners  and  the  country  around  so  pressing,  that  the 
General  Government  authorized  the  issue,  by  Dr.  Bechtler,  of  Ruther- 
ford, of  gold  pieces  of  the  denomination  of  $1.00,  $2.50  and  $5.00  pure 
gold,  without  alloy;  and  so  great  was  the  trust  reposed  in  the  knowledge 


Description  op  Counties.  313 


and  the  iategrity  of  the  coiner,  that  the  issue  of  this  private,  unique 
mint,  passed  current  without  question  throughout  the  State. 

Morganton,  the  county  seat,  is  the  site  of  the  great  and  han- 
somely  built  Western  Asylum  for  the  Insane;  and  the  Asylum  for  the 
Deaf  and  Dumb  for  the  whites  at  Raleigh,  having  become  in  danger  of 
being  overcrowded  with  patients  with  the  growth  of  population,  the 
Legislature  made  provision  for  the  erection  of  another  institution  at 
Morganton  for  the  same  class  of  unfortunates,  to  be  known  as  "The 
North  Carolina  School  for  the  Deaf  and  Dumb,"  which  is  now  complete 
and  in  successful  operation,  with  some  two-hundred  white  deaf-mutes. 
Here  also  is  a  cotton  factory  and  an  extensive  steam  tannery,  one  of 
the  largest  and  best  equipped  in  the  south.  The  population  is  2,475, 
exclusive  of  the  State  institutions.  The  town  has  well  graded  streets 
which  are  being  macadamized  and  the  side  walks  paved  with  brick. 
A  first  class  electric  light  system  supplies  light  for  streets  and  build- 
ings. Morganton  is  much  frequented  as  a  summer  resort,  and  has, 
besides  its  exceptionable  climate  and  magnificent  scenery,  a  cultured 
and  hospitable  people  to  charm  the  visitor.  Glen  Alpine  has  a 
population  of  260. 

There  are  in  Burke  county  245,484  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $778,- 
593;  and  500  town  lots  valued  at  ^233,165.  The  number  of  domestic 
animals  is — horses,  1,276;  mules,  1,492;  cattle  5,277;  hogs,  6,707; 
sheep,  2,161.  Taxes — State  ^3,030.68;  pensions,  $655.96;  schools, 
-$6,056.89;  county,  $10,453.96.  Population — white,  12,378;  colored, 
2,561;  total,  14.939.     This  by  last  census — it  is  now  over  16,500. 

CABARRUS. 

Cabarrus  county  is  not  unlike  the  adjacent  counties  in  general 
features,  its  topographical  character  being  similar,  and  its  agricultural 
products  the  same.  It  is  drained  by  the  upper  waters  of  Rocky  river, 
one  of  the  chief  affluents  of  the  Yadkin,  and  abounds  in  water-courses, 
which  traverse  its  territory  from  northwest  to  southeast,  dividing  it 
into  narrow  zones  or  flattish  swells,  the  higher  parts  of  which  are 
comparatively  level  and  are  covered  with  a  growth  of  oaks  and  pines 
and  have  a  characteristic  gray  to  yellow  loam  soil,  while  along  the 
borders  of  the  streams  there  are  numerous  and  often  extensive  tracts 
of  alluvial  bottom  lands,  which,  as  well  as  large  tracts  of  red  clay  and 
dark  gravelly  loam  soils,  are  covered  with  heavy  forests  of  oak,  hick- 
or3^,  walnut,  poplar,  maple,  etc.  Along  the  eastern  margin  of  the 
county  lies  a  narrow  belt  of  a  few  miles  in  breadth  of  slate  hill-land, 
in  the  forests  of  which  the  short-leaf  pine  predominates.  The  soils 
of  this  tract  are  much  less  productive  than  the  average  of  the  county. 
Cotton  enters  as  a  large  element  into  the  agriculture  of  this  county, 
and  divides  almost  equally  the  attention  of  its  population. 

Cabarrus  was  early  famed  for  the  discovery  within  its  territory  of 
the  largest  mass  of  pure  gold  ever  f  )und  in  the  eastern  part  of  the 
United  States.  The  search  for  that  metal  was  continued  for  many 
years  with  great  success  by  placer  mining,  and  is  still  continued  in 
that  form  and  also  by  vein  mining.  During  this  year  (1896)  a  nugget 
weighing  more  than  twenty-three  pounds  was  found. 


314  North  Caroi^ina  and  its  Resources. 


Concord,  the  county  seat,  on  the  Southern  railroad,  is  a  thriving- 
town,  with  a  population  of  6,000,  and  contains  cotton  mills  and  other 
manufacturing  establishments,  among  them  the  Odell  Manufacturing 
Co.,  the  Cannon's  Manufacturing  Co.  and  the  Cabarrus  Mills.  Mount 
Pleasant  has  a  population  of  400;  here  is  located  Mount  Pleasant 
College,  under  the  auspices  of  the  Lutheran  denomination. 

The  county  contains  227,339  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $1,372,286; 
and  770  town  lots,  valued  at  $499,621. 

The  number  of  domestic  animals  is — horses,  2,265;  mules,  1,631; 
goats,  147;  cattle,  6,353;  hogs,  8,171;  sheep,  1,888. 

Taxes  produce — for  State  purposes,  $6,046.70;  pensions,  $1 ;  161 .60;. 
schools,  $9,281.74;  county,  $13,366.44. 

Population — white,  12,863;  colored,  5,459;  total,  18,142. 

CALDWELL. 

Caldwell  county  lies  upon  the  flanks  of  the  Blue  Ridge,  and 
extends  southward  beyond  the  Brushy  mountains,  a  smaller  and 
parallel  range  2,000  feet  and  more  in  altitude.  It  is  drained  by  the 
upper  tributaries  of  the  Catawba  river  and  of  the  Yadkin,  the  larger 
of  which  rise  in  the  summits  of  the  Blue  Ridge  and  its  culminating 
region  in  Grandfather  Mountain,  which  touches  the  elevation  of  6,ooa 
feet  above  the  sea.  This  mountain  throws  oif  a  number  of  long, 
heavy  spurs  down  to  the  middle  of  the  county,  which  is  traversed 
midway,  in  a  direction  parallel  to  the  other  two  chains,  by  the 
Warrior  Mountains,  so  that  its  surface  is  for  the  most  part  broken 
and  rugged;  but  the  different  chains  are  separated  by  extensive  open 
valleys,  and  there  is  a  great  area  of  river  and  creek  bottoms.  The 
lands  in  the  middle  and  southern  sections  generally  have  a  red  clay 
or  yellow  sandy  loam  soil,  naturally  fertile  and  easily  responsive  to 
proper  treatment,  while  its  higher  regions  on  the  ridges  and  spurs  of 
the  mountains  are  frequently  slaty  ledges,  with  gray  sandy  and 
gravelly  soils  of  medium  quality.  Its  forests  are  predominantly  of 
oak  in  the  middle  section,  and  of  pine  and  oak  in  the  southern  and 
northern — that  is,  in  the  more  mountainous  regions,  while,  in  the 
latter  section,  white  pine,  hemlock  and  chestnut  constitute  a  con- 
siderable element  of  the  forest  growth.  The  chief  crops  are  grain, 
but  tobacco  culture  has  been  recently  introduced,  and  fruits,  especially 
apples,  are  of  large  size  and  fine  flavor;  but  peaches,  pears,  grapes  and 
small  fruits  all  grow  to  perfection.  Co/n,  wheat,  oats,  rye,  barley 
and  buckwheat,  winter  cabbage  and  Irish  potatoes,  as  well  as  grass 
and  cattle,  form  the  chief  products. 

Through  the  northern  part  of  this  county  run  the  Yadkin  river  and 
some  of  its  upper  tributaries,  along  which  lie  that  beautiful  system  of 
broad  and  fertile  valleys  which  so  early  in  the  history  of  this 
section  of  the  State  attracted  settlement,  the  immigration  being 
marked  by  the  preponderance  of  brave,  energetic  men,  able  to  secure 
their  hold  against  the  resistance  of  the  Indians,  as  well  as  to  subdue 
the  forces  of  nature,  resulting  in  that  lenghtened  period  of  repose  and 
the  reduction  of  the  valleys  to  that  finish  of  culture  and  stage  of 
refinement  which  they  now  present  to  the  eye.     The  valley  of  the 


Description  oi''  Counties.  315 


Yadkin    is   conspicuous   through    its   entire   length   for   its   beauty, 
fertility  and  productiveness. 

I^enoir  is  the  county  seat,  a  pretty  town  of  1,046  people,  and  long 
noted  as  an  educational  centre.  It  is  the  terminus  of  the  Chester  and 
Lenoir  Narrow  Gauge  railroad,  connecting  at  Hickory  with  the 
Western  North  Carolina  railroad.  At  this  place  is  located  one  of  the 
largest  lumber  plants  in  the  western  part  of  the  State,  which  has 
constructed  some  ten  miles  of  railroad  into  the  denser  timber;  here  is 
also  a  furniture  factory,  a  roller  flour  mill  and  other  industries.  The 
county  is  also  rich  in  mineral;  several  gold  mines  of  importance,  as 
well  as  iron  and  asbestos  deposits  are  worth}^  of  mention.  There  are 
also  good  water  powers  in  the  county. 

The  number  of  acres  of  land  is  323,751,  valued  at  $961,438,  and 
296  town  lots,  valued  at  $101,391.  The  number  of  domestic  animals 
is — horses,  1,476;  mules,  1,236;  cattle,  6,741;  hogs,  8,411;  sheep,  2,965. 
Taxation  yields — for  State  purposes,  $3,479.27;  pensions,  $725.75; 
schools,  $6,011.39;  county,  $4,620.94.  Population — white,  10,737; 
colored,  1,561;  total,  12,318. 

CAHDEN. 

Camden  county  is  a  long  narrow  strip  of  territory,  parallel  to 
Currituck.  Northwestward  it  reaches  the  Dismal  swamp,  and  south- 
ward, Albemarle  sound,  and  lies  between  two  of  its  projecting  arms, 
Pasquotank  river  and  North  river.  The  northern  and  larger  portion 
of  this  count}'  belongs  to  the  description  of  semi-swamp  or  oak  flats^ 
and  along  the  main  rivers,  and  frequently  for  a  mile  or  two  from  their 
margins,  are  gum  and  cypress  swamps.  At  a  distance  from  the 
streams  these  lands,  as  in  the  adjoining  county,  are  characterized  by 
a  heavy  growth  of  oak,  hickory,  short-leaf  pine,  etc.  The  middle 
portion  of  the  southern  end  of  this  county,  along  the  divide  be- 
tween its  two  bounding  water-courses,  has  a  narrow  zone  of  sandy 
loam  soil,  with  long-leaf  pine  forests.  The  main  crops  are  corn  and 
cotton,  with  some  small  grains;  but  fishing  and  truck-farming  are  also 
among  the  common  and  profitable  industries,  and  several  thousand- 
bushels  of  flax-seed  are  annually  exported.  Shipments  are  made  to 
Norfolk  by  the  Dismal  Swamp  canal  and  by  rail. 

The  lumbering  and  trucking  interests  are  of  considerable  im- 
portance, and  the  possibilities  of  the  latter  are  very  great.  Camden 
is  the  county  seat,  with  several  hundred  population,  and  there  are 
several  other  villages  where  various  industries  are  pursued. 

Camden  county  contains  i2o,49oacresof  land,  valued  at  $349,214, 
and  82  town  lots  valued  at  $22,927.  The  number  of  domestic  animals 
is  1,034  horses,  398  mules,  7,820  hogs,  2,932  cattle  and  1,625  sheep. 
Taxation  produces — for  State  purposes,  $1,253.74;  pensions,  $275.98; 
schools,  $2,421.99;  county,  $2,804.79.  Population — white,  3,347^ 
colored,  2,320;  total,  5,567. 

CARTERET. 

Carteret  county  occupies  a  long  strip  of  country'  south  of  Craven 
county  and  of  Pamlico  sound,  and  is  bounded  southward  by  the 
Atlantic  Ocean,     It  is  traversed  east  and  west  through   the  middle 


3i6  North  Caroi^ina  and  its  Rksourceis. 


by  a  succession  of  swamps,  the  largest  of  which,  occupying  its  east- 
ern peninsular  projection,  is  called  the  Open  Ground  Prairie  swamp. 
This  is  a  peat  swamp,  quite  barren  in  its  middle  parts,  but  fringed 
around  its  margin  with  oak  flats  and  gray  silty  soil.  There  is  also 
a  line  of  sand  islands  (sand  dunes)  along  the  coast,  and  inland,  par- 
allel to  the  coast,  are  several  ridges  of  long-leaf  pine  sandy  lands. 
The  highest  part  of  the  county  is  only  thirty-seven  feet  above  tide. 
Carteret  has  the  advantage  of  the  best  harbor  on  the  coast  of  this 
State. 

This  county  lies  immediately  on  the  sea  coast;  its  general  direc- 
tion is  east  and  west  or  nearly  so.  The  prevailing  winds  in  summer 
being  from  the  south  and  southwest,  blowing  directly  from  the  Atlan- 
tic Ocean,  over  Beaufort  and  Morehead  City,  make  these  towns 
exceedingly  healthy  seaside  resorts.  It  is  protected  from  the  ocean  by 
narrow  strips  of  beach  and  sand  hills,  that  are  known  as  the  "banks." 
Between  these  banks  and  the  mainland  are  two  narrow  sounds,  navi- 
gable for  small  vessels,  known  as  Core  sound  and  Bogue  sound.  There 
are  several  navigable  creeks  emptying  into  these  sounds,  giving  facili- 
ties to  farmers  for  the  shipment  of  their  crops.  The  soil  is  generally 
light  and  sandy,  and  will  produce  all  of  the  cereals  and  cotton,  also 
melons  of  very  large  size  and  of  exquisite  flavor;  also  sweet  potatoes, 
Irish  potatoes,  and  all  kinds  of  vegetables.  The  season  is  very  early, 
owing  to  proximity  of  the  ocean. 

The  Atlantic  and  North  Carolina  railroad  terminates  at  More- 
head  City,  which  lies  immediately  on  Beaufort  harbor;  the  waters  are 
of  sufficient  depth  to  admit  vessels  of  very  large  size.  On  the  bar 
there  are  twenty  feet  of  water  at  mean  tide.  In  this  county,  on  the 
"Banks,"  are  droves  of  wild  hardy  horses,  known  as  bank  ponies. 
These  animals,  though  small,  make  very  efficient  farm  horses. 

The  principal  industry  of  the  county  is  fishing.  Carteret  boasts 
of  having  a  greater  variety  of  food  fish  than  any  other  section  of  same 
area  in  the  United  States.  There  are  also  several  menhaden  oil  and 
guano  factories  doing  a  profitable  business.  Oysters  and  clams  of 
the  best  quality  are  taken  in  abundance. 

There  is  another  industry,  that  is  carried  on  profitably  by  the 
people  of  Carteret  county — whaling.  At  certain  seasons,  these  hugh 
monsters  of  the  deep  visit  the  shores  of  North  Carolina  and  are 
frequently  seen  and  caught. 

Beaufort  is  the  county  seat,  with  a  population  of  2,900,  includ- 
ing the  township;  and  Morehead  City,  the  terminus  of  the  Atlantic 
and  North  Carolina  railroad,  has  a  population  of  1,200. 

The  number  of  acres  of  land  in  the  county  is  143,776  valued  at 
$300,740,  and  8,996  town  lots,  valued  at  $252,684. 

Number  of  domestic  animals — horses,  1,277;  mules,  93;  goats, 
III;  cattle,  6,260;  hogs,  9,117;  sheep,  1,422. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  uses,  $1,771.94;  pensions,  $436.39; 
schools,  $4,232.15;  county,  $10,346.28. 

Population — white,  8,528;  colored,  2,297;  total,  10,825. 


Description  of  Countiks.  317 


CASWELL. 

Caswell  county  has  a  somewhat  thin  gravelly  soil,  though  with 
rich  bottoms  along  Dan  river,  which  flows  along  and  through  its 
northern  border  and  along  Country  Line  and  Hyco  creeks.  The 
larger  part  of  its  territory  is  devoted  to  the  production  of  bright 
yellow  tobacco,  while  grain  crops  occupy  a  comparatively  subordinate 
position,  and  are  produced  principally  along  the  river  and  creek  bot- 
toms which  abound  in  the  northern  and  eastern  sections  of  this 
county.  The  northeastern  section  consists  largely  of  red  clay  lands, 
with  oak  and  hickory  forests,  while  the  lighter  tobacco  soils  occupy 
most  of  the  southern  and  western  portions.  Caswell  ranks  third 
among  the  tobacco  counties  in  aggregate  product.  The  crop  averages 
annually  2,500,000  pounds,  and  more  occasionally. 

It  has  only  a  few  urban  settlements,  the  population  being  dis- 
tributed on  their  farms,  well  cultivated  and  largely  adorned  with 
handsome  and  commodious  houses.  Yanceyville  is  the  county  seat, 
noted  for  its  elegant  court-house,  costing  $35,000.  The  population  of 
the  town  is  350.  Milton  is  the  principal  town  in  the  county 
and  has  a  population  of  700.  It  is  an  important  tobacco  market, 
handling  no  less  than  2,000,000  to  3,000,000  pounds  annually  in  its 
three  sales  warehouses.  It  is  situated  in  the  northern  part  of  the 
county  and  the  northern  corporate  limits  of  the  town  is  the  Virginia 
line.  The  lands  around  Milton,  being  on  the  Dan  river,  are  very  fer- 
tile, producing  fine  corn  and  tobacco. 

Leasburg,  a  little  village  of  150  inhabitants,  is  surrounded  by  a 
fertile  country,  also  producing  fine  crops  of  tobacco,  &c.  The  chest- 
nut finds  its  eastern  limit  here;  quite  a  number  of  bearing  trees  are  to 
be  found. 

Caswell  contains  257,163  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $713,474  and 
246  town  lots,  valued  at  $95,706. 

Of  domestic  animals  it  has — horses,  1,771;  mules,  944;  cattle, 
3,299;  hogs,  7,350;  sheep,  1,088. 

Taxes  yield — for  State  purpose,  $3,152.77;  pensions,  $679.54; 
schools,  $6,021.59;  county,  $5,450.10. 

Population — white,  6,639;  colored,  9,389;  total,  16,028. 

CATAWBA. 

Catawba  county  lies  on  the  northern  border  of  the  cotton  belt 
and  on  the  margin  of  the  Piedmont  region  of  the  State.  It  is 
bounded  northward  and  eastward  by  the  Catawba  river,  and  has  its 
western  end  on  the  foot  hills  of  the  South  mountains.  As  to  its 
middle,  southern  and  eastern  parts,  it  resembles  the  county  of  Iredell, 
from  which  it  is  separated  by  the  Catawba  river.  Through  the 
middle  region  of  it,  and  in  a  northeast  and  southwest  direction,  is 
a  broad  belt  of  oak  and  hickory  forest  with  a  red  clay  soil,  while  that 
of  the  western  section  is  a  light  to  yellow  sandy  loam.  The  streams 
of  this  county,  all  of  which  flow  into  the  Catawba,  are  occasionally 
bordered  by  considerable  tracts  of  alluvial  lands,  and  along  the  course 
of  the   Catawba   are   extensive  bottoms.     These  and  the  red  lands  of 


31 8  North  Caroi^ina  and  its  Resources. 


the  county  are  very  productive.  In  the  southeastern  corner,  as  well 
as  along  the  northwestern  border,  are  mountain  spurs  which  rise  to 
an  elevation  of  1,500  feet  and  more,  above  sea-level.  A  broad  flattish 
plateau  crosses  the  county  in  a  northwest  and  southeast  direction 
between  these  mountain  spurs,  which,  for  the  most  part,  is  charac- 
terized by  sandy  and  gravelly  loams,  and  its  oak  forests  are  inter- 
mingled with  much  pine. 

The  culture  of  cotton  has  been  introduced  into  the  county  since 
1870,  and  has  become  one  of  the  money  crops.  The  larger  part  of  its 
territory  is  still  devoted  to  grain,  of  which  more  than  half  a  million 
bushels  are  produced.  Tobacco  has  been  added  to  the  list  of  its 
products  within  a  few  years,  nearly  half  of  the  county  being  well 
adapted  to  the  better  grades  of  this  crop. 

This  county  was  largely  settled  by  immigrants  of  German  origin, 
who  retain,  unimpaired,  their  thrift,  industry  and  skill,  both  as 
farmers  and  in  mechanical  industries.  Few  counties  have  better  rail- 
road facilities,  and  not  many  counties  in  the  State  are  better  cultivated. 
A  large  proportion  of  the  population  belongs  to  the  (German)  Re- 
formed and  lyUtheran  denominations;  their  churches  dot  the  county 
and  towns;  other  denominations  are  also  well  represented.  It  is 
traversed  from  east  to  west  by  the  Western  North  Carolina  railroad, 
now  a  part  of  the  Southern  Railway  system;  and  from  north  to  south 
by  the  Chester  and  lycnoir  Narrow  Gauge.  On  the  former  of  these 
roads  are  situate  the  towns  of  Catawba,  Claremont,  Newton,  Conover, 
and  Hickory. 

Newton  is  the  county  seat  and  has  a  population  of  about  1,500. 
It  has  good  schools,  good  hotels,  churches,  &c.,  also  one  large  cotton 
mill, two  flouring  mills,  one  hosiery  mill  and  other  manufacturing  inter- 
ests. Catawba  College,ofthe  (German)  Reformed  Church  is  located  here. 

Hickory  is  the  largest  town  in  the  county;  its  population  at  last 
census  was  2,023,  but  has  increased  considerably  since.  It  is  an 
important  business  place,  containing  a  large  wagon  factory,  wood- 
working establishments,  &c.,  good  schools,  hotels  and  churches. 
Lenoir  and  Claremont  colleges  are  located  here.  The  famous  Spark- 
ling Catawba  Springs  are  eight  miles  from  Hickory,  ten  from  Newton 
and  seven  from  Conover.  Within  two  miles  of  Newton,  Yount's 
Spring  has  recently  been  found;  its  waters  are  said  to  be  effective  in 
dyspepsia  and  kidney  troubles. 

Maiden,  a  village  of  five-hundred  inhabitants,  contains  two  cotton 
factories,  with  other  evidences  of  thrift. 

Catawba,  Conover  and  Claremont  are  well  located  towns,  with 
populations  of  300,  350  and  200  respectively.  Concordia  College  is 
located  at  Conover. 

There  are  seven  cotton  mills  in  the  county;  and  on  the  Catawba 
river,  within  the  limits  of  this  county,  there  are  quite  a  number  of 
water-powers,  within  easy  reach  of  railroad,  awaiting  improvement. 

The  county  contains  256,423  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $1,347,980; 
887  town  lots,  valued  at  $377,119. 

Domestic  animals — Horses,  2,786;  mules,  1,668;  cattle  7,614; 
hogs,  10,139;  sheep,  2,738. 


Description  op  Counties.  319 


Proceeds  of  taxation — for  State  purposes,  $5,905.90;  pensions, 
^1,177.02;  schools,  $9,771;  county  $8,117.44. 

Population — white,  16.073,  colored,  2,616;  total,  i8,68g. 

CHATHAn. 

Chatham  county  lies  contiguous  to  the  long-leaf  pine  belt,  and 
includes  a  small  strip  of  it  along  the  southern  edge.  It  is  drained 
by  the  waters  of  the  Cape  Fear  river,  the  main  affluents  of  which 
unite  near  its  southeast  corner.  The  principal  of  these,  Deep  river, 
has,  on  both  sides,  extensive  bottom  lands,  covered  with  oak  and 
short-leaf  pine  forests,  which  are  very  productive.  A  large  part  of 
its  surface  is  hillj^  and  broken,  especially  near  the  rivers,  and  in  the 
middle  and  northwestern  sections  these  hills  rise  to  an  elevation  of 
from  six  hundred  to  seven  hundred  feet  above  the  sea,  attaining,  in 
a  few  ca3e3,  the  elevation  and  designation  of  small  mountains.  The 
average  elevation  is  five  hundred  feet.  The  soils  are,  for  the  most 
part,  those  of  the  oak  uplands,  generally  sandy  gray  to  yellowish 
loams,  alternating  here  and  there  with  belts  of  red  clay  soil.  Toward 
the  southern  border,  occur  the  sandy  and  gravelly  oak  and  pine  hills. 
With  the  exceptions  noted,  the  forests  consist  mostl 3^  of  oak,  hickory, 
etc.  Along  the  eastern  margin  of  the  county  is  a  wide,  level  tract  of 
oak  and  pine  lands,  with  a  gray  clay  loam  soil  of  Triassic  origin. 
Only  a  minor  portion  of  Chatham,  in  the  southern  and  eastern  parts, 
is  devoted  to  the  culture  of  cotton,  grain  crops  constituting  its  pre- 
dominant agricultural  interest.  The  tobacco  crop  reaches  very  nearly 
half  a  million  pounds  annually,  sometimes  more.  Its  facilities 
for  manufacturing  are  unsurpassed.  Two  large  and  two  other  con- 
siderable rivers  cross  its  territory,  with  a  fall  of  from  three  hundred 
to  four  hundred  feet,  and  develop  a  force  of  more  than  40,000  horse- 
power. The  rivers  provide  only  meagre  facilities  for  navigation,  but 
this  defect  is  supplied  by  the  Raleigh  and  Augusta  Air-Line  railroad, 
which  passes  through  the  southern  part  of  the  county,  and  which  con- 
nects Pittsboro,  the  county  seat,  by  a  branch  road  of  twelve  miles, 
with  Moncure.  The  Cape  Fear  and  Yadkin  Valley  road  runs  through 
the  whole  western  end  of  the  county,  and  its  construction  has  stimu- 
lated the  growth  of  numerous  villages,  such  as  Egj^pt,  Gulf,  Goldston, 
Richmond,  Ore  Hill,  Siler  City  and  others,  all  of  which  have  become 
centers  of  industrial  pursuits,  and  locations  of  good  schools.  At  Egypt, 
is  a  coal  mine,  the  most  extensive  in  the  State,  opened  before  the  war, 
and  now  again  operated  with  success.  The  coal  is  semi-bituminous. 
At  Ore  Hill,  is  a  very  valuable  iron  mine,  worked  during  the  Revolu- 
tionary war,  and  again  during  the  late  Civil  war,  and  is  now  to  be 
largely  utilized  in  connection  with  the  steel  works  in  process  of  erec- 
tion at  Greensboro. 

Pittsboro  is  the  county  seat.  Its  population,  including  the  town- 
ship, is  about  2,500. 

The  total  number  of  acres  of  land  in  the  county  is  459,487,  the 
value  of  which  is  $1,803,550,  and  there  are  690  town  lots,  valued  at 
$136,255.  - 


320  North  Caroi^ina  and  its  Resources. 


Of  domestic  animals  there  are  2,556  horses;  2,677  mules;  811 
goats;   13,305  cattle;   25,299  hogs;   15,051  sheep. 

Product  of  taxation — State,  $6,195.13;  pensions,  $1,281,64; 
schools,  $10,984.41;  county,  $13,481.82. 

Population — white,  17,214;  colored,  8,199;  total,  25,413. 

CHEROKEE. 

Cherokee  county  occupies  the  extreme  western  corner  of  the 
State,  of  which  it  includes  the  whole  breadth,  at  this  point  less  than 
twenty  miles.  It  is  bounded  in  part  on  the  north  by  the  Smoky 
mountains,  and  touches  the  states  of  Tennessee  and  Georgia  on  the 
west  and  south.  The  valley  of  the  Valley  river  is  open  and  level,  with 
extensive  bottoms  and  bordering  hilly  lands.  This  valley  is  nearly 
twenty  miles  long  and  from  three  to  five  miles  broad,  and  contains  a 
large  proportion  of  fine  agricultural  lands.  Its  agriculture  is  divided 
between  the  culture  of  grains  and  grasses  and  cattle-raising. 

The  timbered  land  amounts  to  at  least  four-fifths  of  the 
entire  area  and  is  covered  generally  with  a  heavy  growth  of  almost  all 
the  varieties  of  the  oak,  interspersed  with  white  and  scaly  bark  hick- 
ory; tulip,  or  poplar,  of  two  varieties,  cucumber  and  wahoo,  white 
ash,  wild  cherry,  black  and  white  walnut,  black  and  sweet  gum,  red, 
white,  mountain  and  ash-leaved  maples,  persimmon,  dogwood,  chest- 
nut and  chinquapin,  red,  yellow  and  black  birch,  sassafras,  white, 
3-ellow  and  black  pines,  hemlock,  linn,  snowdrop  tree,  black,  yellow 
and  honey  locust,  yellow  wood  (^Cladastis  tinctovia),  crab  apple,  serv- 
ice, hornbeam  and  ironwood,  sycamore,  etc.  Portions  of  Cherokee, 
Graham,  Swain  and  Macon  counties  contain  very  large  quantities 
of  chestnut  oak  as  well  as  hemlock,  and  can  thus  furnish  the  materials 
for  the  largest  tanning  operations,  as  the  climate  and  waters  are  so 
mild  and  pure  as  to  oifer  great  inducements  in  this  line. 

Besides  the  valley  of  Valley  river  already  named,  the  valley  of 
the  Hiwassee  and  Nottely  rivers,  of  Peach  Tree,  Brass  Town  and 
other  creeks,  extend  an  area  of  fertile  and  level  arable  lands  found  to 
wider  extent  than  elsewhere  in  the  mountains,  the  recession  of  the 
Blue  Ridge  into  north  Georgia  permitting  a  large  area  of  lands,  hilly 
but  not  mountainous,  together  with  the  vallej^s,  offering  with  favor- 
able climate  and  fertile  soil  every  encouragement  to  agricultural  pur- 
suits. 

In  minerals  this  county  is  exceedingly  prolific.  Gold  is  found 
in  numerous  localities  and  has  amply  rewarded  research.  Iron  in 
abundance  and  of  superior  quality  is  of  such  quantity  and  value  as 
long  since  to  have  attracted  industry  and  capital;  marble  of  all  colors 
and  varieties  underlaj'S  many  sections,  and  is  worked  to  advantage; 
talc  or  soapstone  is  found  in  great  abundance  and  of  peculiar  excel- 
lence, and  the  quarries  in  Nottely  river  have  long  furnished  exhaust- 
less  supplies  to  a  Georgia  company.  Manganese  is  found  in  addition 
to  other  minerals. 

The  Western  North  Carolina  railroad  is  now  completed  to  Mur- 
phy, and  the  North  Georgia  and  Marietta  road  connects  that  town 
with  Atlanta.  With  the  addition  of  these  facilities  to  access  and  trans- 


Description  op  Counties.  321 


portation,  capital  has  already  been  attracted  to  the  county,  and  its 
rich  resources  are  being  developed.  Several  colonies  have  recently 
located  here. 

Murphy,  the  county  seat,  has  a  population  of  900. 

There  are  322,527  acres  of  land  in  the  count}*,  valued  at  $1,018, 
360,  and  571  town  lots  valued  at  $149,987. 

The  number  of  domestic  animals  is — horses,  1,260;  mules,  663; 
cattle,  6,805;  liogs,  7,486;  sheep,  6,043. 

Products  of  taxation — State,  $3,163.84;  pensions, $615. 94;  schools, 
^4.713-37;  county,  $11,113.67. 

Population — white,  9,655;  colored,  321;  Indians,  48;  total, 
10,124. 

CHOWAN. 

Chowan  county  lies  in  the  angle  of  the  Chowan  river  and  Albe- 
marle sound.  Northward  it  consists  of  sandy,  upland  piny  woods, 
except  narrow  tracts  along  the  river  and  some  of  its  tributaries,  v/here 
cypress  swamps  of  considerable  extent  are  fotmd;  and  there  are  also 
large  areas  of  oak-flats.  The  southern  portion  of  the  county,  lying 
near  the  sound  and  south  of  the  Yeopim  river,  is  characterized  by  a 
gray  clay-loam  soil  and  a  mixed  oak  and  pine  forest  growth,  and  is 
for  tlie  most  part  very  productive.  Bear  swamp,  which  crosses  the 
county  in  a  northeast  and  southwest  direction,  is  more  properly  a  semi- 
swamp  from  three  to  five  miles  v/ide,  very  level,  with  a  very  rich  gray 
silty  soil,  and  the  characteristic  growth  of  such  lands  comprises 
short-leaf  pine,  oaks,  maple,  ash,  dogwood,  occasionally  C3'press  and 
gum,  and  frequently  a  large  admixture  of  holly,  which  here  attains 
the  size  of  oaks  and  furnishes  a  superior  cabinet  wood.  Its  fisheries 
are  among  the  largest  and  most  profitable  in  the  country.  Being  sur- 
rounded on  three  sides  by  navigable  waters  and  crossed  by  a  line  of 
railway,  the  county  has  abundant  means  of  transportation. 

The  fisheries  referred  to  are  probabl}^  the  largest  and  most  profit- 
able in  the  section  devoted  to  that  industry,  lying  along  the  shores  of 
Albemarle  sound  and  the  lower  waters  of  Chowan  river.  The  seine 
fisheries  engage  much  capital  and  numerous  hands;  the  seines;  includ- 
ing the  handling  ropes,  are  upwards  of  three  and  a  half  miles  in 
length,  and  are  laid  out  by  steam  flats  and  drawn  into  the  shore  by 
steam  power.  The  fishing  season  begins  in  February  and  continues 
until  early  in  May.  In  addition  to  the  seines,  the  pound  net  fishing  is  a 
very  large  industry,  and  the  pound  nets  being  more  numerous,  probably 
catch  more  fish  in  the  aggregate  than  the  seines.  Sturgeon  fishing  and 
the  production  of  caviar  from  the  roe  is  an  additional  and  profitable 
industry  for  the  fishermen.  The  principal  catch  is  shad,  now  chiefly 
packed  in  ice  and  sent  fresh  to  the  Northern  markets;  herring,  caught 
in  immense  numbers,  often  from  60,000  to  100,000  in  one  haul, 
largely  shipped  fresh  on  ice,  but  mostly  salted  and  packed  in  barrels; 
rock  fish,  sturgeon,  perch  and  other  fish,  are  also  caught  in  abundance. 

Edenton,  the  county  seat,  is  one  of  the  oldest   towns  in    North 
Carolina,  prettily  situated  on    Edenton  Bay,  and   has  the  benefit  of 
water  and  railroad  transportation,  by  the  latter  with  Elizabeth  City 
21 


322  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


and  Norfolk,  and  by  the  former  with  the  navigation  of  the  sound  and 
other  waters  of  the  State.  Chowan  is  crossed  by  two  lines  of  rail- 
road, viz:  The  Norfolk  and  Southern  and  the  Suffolk  and  Carolina. 
These  transportation  facilities  have  greatly  stimulated  the  business  of 
truck  farming.  The  population  of  Edenton  is  3,500.  The  lumber 
interest  of  the  county  is  large  and  important;  a  single  saw- mill  plant, 
located  at  Edenton,  has  a  daily  output  of  150,000  feet. 

The  county  contains  101,632  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $546,904, 
and  549  town  lots,  valued  at  $307,109. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — horses,  948;  mules,  578;  goats, 
124;  cattle,  2,476;  hogs,  9,246;  sheep,  682. 

Proceeds  of  taxation — for  State,  $2,944.26;  pensions,  $569.77; 
schools,  $4,492.42;  county,  $3,908.14. 

Population — white,  4,010;  colored,  5,157;  total,  9,116. 

CLAY. 

The  county  of  Clay  is  bounded  on  the  south  by  Georgia,  on  the 
west  by  Cherokee  county,  on  the  north  and  east  by  Macon  county. 

The  northeastern  portion  of  the  county  is  very  mountainous  and 
furnishes  fine  natural  pasturage  for  the  raising  of  stock.  The  county 
is  drained  in  a  westerly  direction  by  the  Hiwassee  river  and  its  many 
tributaries,  and  has  ample  waterpower  for  floating  timber  or  running 
machinery  of  any  description.  The  timber  of  this  county  is  immense 
and  of  very  fine  quality.  The  river  and  creek  valleys  furnish  fine 
farming  lands  which  are  very  productive,  and  are  well  adapted  to  the 
raising  of  corn,  oats,  wheat,  rye,  grass,  tobacco,  &c.  The  county 
abounds  in  minerals,  such  as  gold,  mica,  corundum,  &c.  Clay  is 
small  and  not  very  densly  populated. 

The  county  is  finely  diversified  with  mountains  and  valleys. 
Those  bordering  on  the  Hiwassee,  alternately  broad  and  contracted, 
are  very  fertile;  those  on  the  Tusquittee  equally  productive,  though 
not  so  extensive.  The  broad  rolling  lands  on  the  south  along  the 
Brasstown  and  some  smaller  streams,  and  bounded  on  the  south  by 
the  Chestatoe  and  other  spurs  of  the  Blue  Ridge,  are  well  adapted  to 
wheat  and  other  small  grains,  and  to  grass.  The  mountains  along 
the  eastern  and  northeastern  sides  are  high  and  rugged,  forming  a 
landscape  of  great  picturesqueness.  The  soil  throughout  the  county 
is  well  adapted  to  grass,  and  hay  is  cured  in  large  quantities,  and 
large  numbers  of  cattle  and  some  horses  and  mules  are  annually  driven 
to  market.  The  lands  are  well  tilled,  and  the  number  of  improved 
implements  for  agriculture  exceeds  that  of  any  county  of  its  size  in  the 
western  section. 

The  county  seat  is  Haysville,  with  a  small  population,  that  of 
the  township  being  1,500. 

The  county  contains  178,999  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $323,779, 
and  75  town  lots,  valued  at  $13,350. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are  674  horses;  595  mules;  3,283  cattle; 
4,567  hogs  and  4,856  sheep. 


Description  of  Counties.  323 


Product  of  taxation — for  State,  $1,044.55;  pensions,  $217.30; 
schools,  $1,750.74;  county,  $3,299.11, 

Population — white,  4,055;  colored,  142;  total,  4,197. 

CLEVELAND. 

Cleveland  county  is  situated  on  the  southern  border  of  the  State. 
Its  northern  end  rests  upon  the  summits  of  the  South  mountains,  at 
an  elevation  of  nearly  3,000  feet  above  sea-level,  while  along  its 
southern  border  runs  the  lower  King's  mountains  range;  from  any  of 
the  elevations  in  the  county  the  Blue  Ridge  is  plainly  visible.  It  is 
drained  by  several  large  tributaries  of  the  Broad  river,  which  rise  in 
this  chain  and  cross  the  county  southward  into  South  Carolina.  Its 
agricultural  and  topographical  features  are  very  similar  to  those  of 
Catawba  county,  to  which  its  territory  is  contiguous.  Its  soils 
consist  of  alternating  tracts  of  red  or  reddish  clay  and  gray  and 
yellow  gravelly  loams  (chiefly  the  latter),  and  have  their  correspond- 
ing forests  of  oak,  and  of  oak  mingled  with  pine.  This  county  pro- 
duces cotton  throughout  its  territorj^  even  up  to  the  flanks  and  on 
the  slopes  of  the  South  mountains,  although  this  form  of  agriculture 
is  the  growth  of  two  decades,  the  product  having  increased  twenty- 
fold  in  that  time.  Gold  mining  is  also  practiced,  placers  being 
common  in  the  north,  and  vein  mines  in  the  south  end  of  the  county. 

The  soil  is  generally  well  adapted  to  grain,  especially  to  wheat, 
which  is  of  fine  quality  and  unusually  productive,  fiftj^-two  bushels  to 
the  acre  having  been  reported,  and  twentj'-five  bushels  is  not  uncom- 
mon. Oats  and  corn  thrive  in  unusual  luxuriance.  Tobacco  proves 
well  adapted  to  both  soil  and  climate,  and  the  finer  varieties  are  in  no 
way  inferior  to  those  raised  in  the  counties  which  for  generations 
have  brought  up  their  culture  to  the  dignity  of  a  fine  art.  And  this 
is  the  result  of  diversities  in  the  characteristics  of  the  soil,  there 
being  found  those  alternations  from  the  deep  rich  mould  of  the  lowlands 
and  the  lighter  covering  of  the  uplands,  not  less  abounding  in  the 
elements  of  fertility.  The  surface  of  the  county  is  undulating,  but  it  is 
watered  by  several  large  rivers  and  creeks,  among  which  are  the  two 
Broad  rivers  and  Buffalo  creek.  Along  these  stretch  large  areas  of  rich 
alluvial  bottoms,  unsurpassed  in  fertility.  Among  the  subjects  of 
cultivation  to  which  there  is  every  encouragement  is  that  of  the 
grape,  which,  in  the  past,  received  more  attention  than  now. 

Among  the  minerals  found  in  the  county  is  tin,  near  King's 
mountain,  of  which  great  ultimate  expectation  is  entertained;  mona- 
zite,  of  which  large  shipments  have  been  made  north  and  to  foreign 
countries;  mica,  of  which  some  of  the  largest  pieces  yet  xound  have 
been  obtained;  gold,  copper,  corundum,  kaolin,  etc. 

The  water-power  of  the  county  is  great  and  exhaustless,  and  is 
applied  to  eight  cotton  mills  and  other  industries.  In  addition  to  the 
water-power,  Cleveland  has  the  aid  of  three  important  railroads — the 
Carolina  Central,  bisecting  it  nearly  from  east  to  west,  wnth  its  east- 
ern terminus  at  Wilmington;  and  a  part  of  the  great  Seaboard  Air- 
lyine  system,  connecting  with   Norfolk  and   Atlanta,  and  the  Ohio 


324  North  Carolina  and  its  Re;sources. 


river  and  Charleston,  connected  on  the  south  with  Charleston,  with 
ultimate  northern  terminus  on  the  Ohio  river,  but  at  present  com- 
pleted only  to  Marion,  on  the  Western  North  Carolina  railroad. 
These  roads  pass  by  Shelby.  The  main  line  of  the  Southern  system 
passes  through  the  southern  end  of  the  county  touching  Grover 
and  King's  Mountain. 

Shelby  is  the  county  seat,  finely  situated  on  a  high  plateau,  well 
drained  on  all  sides  and,  in  beauty  of  location  and  elegance  of  con- 
struction, is  unsurpassed  by  any  town  of  its  size  in  the  State.  It  is 
intersected  by  broad,  straight  and  shaded  streets,  and  is  adorned 
with  a  large,  well-planted  square,  in  the  center  of  which  is  the  court- 
house, the  culmination  of  fine  prospects  commanding  the  surrounding 
country  and  the  distant  mountains.  An  excellent  quality  of  lithia 
water  is  piped  to  the  court  square  from  the  lithia  spring,  three  miles 
distant.  Here  there  are  good  hotels,  fine  churches,  flourishing 
schools  and  an  industrious  population.  Two  miles  east  are  the 
Cleveland  Springs,  celebrated  for  their  varied  curative  powers,  their 
comfortable  accommodations  and  their  agreeable  environments. 
Four  miles  south  are  Patterson's  Springs  and  the  same  distance  north 
McBrayer's  Springs — both  held  in  high  repute.  Shelby  has  a  popu- 
lation of  2,200;  Kings  Mountain,  1,200;  and  a  number  of  small  villages 
are  scattered  through  the  county.  At  the  two  former  places  are  located 
cotton  and  roller  flour  mills.  A  portion  of  King's  Mountain  is  in 
Gaston  county,  and  it  has  four  cotton  mills  which  are  included  in  the 
eight  referred  to  above. 

The  material  condition  of  the  people  of  this  county  is  improving; 
while  there  has  been  no  decrease  in  the  cotton  crop,  the  county  is 
producing  a  surplus  of  breadstufifs  which  is  shipped  out,  and  during 
the  last  decade  personal  debt  has  been  steadily  decreasing  among  the 
people. 

The  environment  of  hills  on  three  sides  of  the  county,  with  an 
open  southern  exposure  gives  to  it  an  exceptionally  fine  winter  climate, 
singularly  free  from  snow;  therefore  very  inviting  to  sufferers  from 
pulmonary  diseases,  while  its  altitude  and  proximity  to  the  mountains 
makes  it  one  of  the  most  desirable  of  summer  residences. 

The  county  contains  278,752  acres  of  land  valued  at  $1,647,705; 
and  811  town  lots,  valued  at  $295,632. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are  2,574  horses;  2,951  mules;  7,607 
cattle;  8,247  hogs;  2,321  sheep. 

Products  of  taxation — For  State  uses  $6,674.81;  pensions,  $1, 
365.40;  schools,  $11,487.93;  county,  $18,219.97. 

Population — white,  17,301;  colored,  3,093,  total,  20,394. 

COLUMBUS. 

This  county  lies  in  the  southeast  corner  of  the  State  bordering 
upon  South  Carolina.  It  contains  a  considerable  portion  of  upland 
piny  woods.  It  is  penetrated  through  all  its  parts  by  narrow  belts  of 
gum  and  cypress  swamps  and  considerable  tracts  of  oak  and  pine 
flats.  The  average  soil  of  its  upland  piny  woods  is  of  moderate  fer- 
tility, well  adapted  to  the  growth  of  cotton,  but  the  richer  swamp  and 


Description  of  Counties.  •  325 


gray-loam  lands  are  devoted  principally  to  corn.  Brown  marsh  and 
White  marsh  are  two  large  bodies  of  swamp  in  the  eastern  side  of  the 
county,  and  Gum  swamp  and  others  of  less  extent  are  found  in  the 
south  and  west.  The  production  of  cotton,  potatoes  and  rice  divides 
with  lumber  and  naval  stores  the  interest  of  its  people.  Marl  is  found 
in  several  parts  of  the  county. 

The  climate  is  mild,  and  from  its  proximity  to  the  Gulf  stream, 
has  some  features  of  the  semi-tropical;  to  such  extent  that  the  sugar 
cane  is  cultivated  in  patches  by  almost  every  family  for  domestic 
use,  and  cane  sugar  has  been  successfully  made.  It  is  a  climate 
and  soil  well  suited  to  the  grape,  and  wine  has  long  been  made  on  a 
considerable  scale. 

The  swamps  furnish  large  quantities  of  timber,  shingles  and  staves, 
which  are  transported  to  market  through  the  Waccamaw  and  other 
streams  having  their  sources  in  the  county;  or  by  the  railroads  which 
traverse  the  county,  the  Carolina  Central,  the  Wilmington,  Columbia 
and  Augusta,  and  the  Wilmington  and  Chadbourne.  In  this  county 
is  the  beautiful  and  extensive  sheet  of  water  known  as  Waccamaw 
lake,  ten  or  twelve  miles  long,  and  from  six  to  eight  wide,  from  ten 
to  fifteen  feet  deep,  with  clear  waters,  abounding  in  fish,  and  on  two 
of  its  sides  with  clean  sandy  beach.  It  is  a  frequent  resort  for  pleas- 
ure parties  from  Wilmington  and  elsewhere. 

Whiteville  is  the  county  seat,  with  a  population  of  600. 

A  large  number  of  northern  and  western  settlers  have  located  in 
Columbus,  and  these  colonies  are  growing. 

The  lumber  and  shingle  business  is  extensively  carried  on  at 
Whiteville,  Hub  and  Hallsboro,  thriving  communities. 

The  trucking  interest  of  the  county  is  annually  increasing  in 
volume,  as  its  warm  climate  gives  it  a  pre-eminence  in  successfully 
producing  early  crops  for  northern  markets.  Improved  methods  char- 
acterize the  agriculture  of  the  county. 

Columbus  county  contains  540,109  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $1,126, 
334,  and  345  town  lots,  valued  at  $90,888. 

Of  domestic  animals  it  contains  730  horses;  731  mules;  3,369 
goats;  9,678  cattle;  26,703  hogs;  6,971  sheep. 

Proceeds  of  Taxation — State,  $3,839.35;  pensions,  $834.07; 
schools,  $8,344.16;  county,  $6,806.  19. 

Population — white,  11,804;  colored,  6,027;  total,  17,831. 

CRAVEN. 

Craven  is  a  large,  straggling  county,  stretching  sixty  miles  along 
the  lower  reaches  of  the  Neuse  river,  which  passes  through  its  centre 
and  drains  its  entire  area.  The  physical  description  of  its  territory, 
•especially  the  southern  and  eastern  sections,  is  identical  with  that  of 
the  two  adjoining  counties.  It  consists  largely  of  swamps,  pocoson 
and  oak  flats.  The  section  lying  north  of  the  Neuse  river,  belongs 
for  the  most  part  in  its  agricultural  features  to  the  second  subdivision 
or  long-leaf  pine  belt,  having  considerable  tracts  of  pine  flats  and 
long-leaf  pine  ridges,  with  a  soil  often  very  sandy  and  unproductive, 
when  compared  with  other  sections  of  the  county.     Near  its  upper 


326  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


margin  it  is  penetrated  by  considerable  tracts  of  swamp  and  semi- 
swamp  lands,  which  project  southward  from  Pamlico  river  and  form 
properly  the  western  extension  of  Bay  river  swamp.  Along  the 
southern  shore  of  the  Neuse  river,  the  soil  is  mainly  a  close  gray  loam. 
The  great  Dover  pocoson,  occupying  more  than  one  hundred  square 
miles  in  the  southwestern  angle,  is  elevated  sixty  feet  above  tide  in 
its  central  part,  and  is  very  flat  and  sterile  for  the  most  part,  but  has 
strips  of  oak  and  pine  flats  radiating  in  all  directions  from  the  centre 
along  the  numerous  streams. 

Craven  county  is  interesting  historically,  as  being  one  of  the  origi- 
nal Proprietary  counties.  It  v/as  formed  from  Bath  county,  and 
derives  its  name  from  William,  Karl  Craven,  one  of  the  Lords  Pro- 
prietors. It  is  more  interesting,  perhaps,  from  its  having  been 
selected  by  the  Baron  De  Graffenreid,  as  the  locality  of  his  Swiss 
colony,  which  was  planted  here  in  the  early  years  of  the  eighteenth 
century,  the  point  of  settlement  at  the  junction  of  the  Trent  and 
Neuse  rivers,  having  been  named  after  Bern,  the  principal  city  of  the 
Swiss  canton  from  which  the  colonists  were  transplanted.  The 
colony  did  not  flourish;  yet  in  process  of  time  it  became  the  seat  of 
refinement  and  high  intellectual  culture,  and  some  of  the  leading  men 
of  North  Carolina  draw  their  origin  from  this  place.  During  this 
year,  (1896,)  the  city  of  Bern,  in  Switzerland,  presented  through  the 
Swiss  Minister,  Mr.  Pioda,  a  flag  bearing  the  emblem  of  the  Swiss 
and  the  colors  of  Bern,  to  the  city  of  New  Bern. 

The  city  is  beautifully  situated  at  the  junction  of  Neuse  and 
Trent  rivers,  the  Neuse  forming  its  eastern,  and  the  Trent  its  south- 
ern boundary:  both  wide  and  beautiful  streams.  The  soil  upon  which 
it  is  built  is  light  and  sandy,  and  gently  slopes  to  the  rivers;  conse- 
quently the  drainage  is  perfect.  Owing  to  its  situation  at  the  junc- 
tion of  two  wide  rivers,  and  only  twentj^-eight  statute  miles  from  the 
ocean,  the  winters  are  mild,  and  the  summer  heats  are  greatly  modi- 
fied by  the  daily  sea  breeze  from  the  southwest  and  southeast. 

This  is  the  largest  trucking  centre  in  the  State.  Thousands  of 
boxes  and  barrels  of  potatoes,  cabbage,  melons,  asparagus,  lettuce, 
spinach,  cucumbers,  early  peas,  beans,  &c.,  are  shipped  annuall}^ 
Also  small  fruits;  but  this  is  hardly  second  to  the  immense  business 
done  in  fish  and  game.  These  subjects  are  treated  under  their  several 
heads. 

Craven  county  possesses  one  valuable  peculiarity  in  a  land  so  near 
the  flat  sandy  ocean  beach.  The  entire  county  is  underlaid  either 
with  marl  or  with  a  conglomerate  of  shells  as  hard  and  as  durable  as 
stone,  which  is  used  for  building  purposes  and  also  for  the  manufac- 
ture of  lime.  On  the  Trent  river  it  is  found  in  inexhaustible  quantities, 
and  on  the  sides  of  the  river  it  rises  in  banks  to  the  height  of  fifteen 
or  twenty  feet. 

New  Bern,  the  county  seat,  and  the  only  considerable  town  in  the 
county,  has  a  population  of  7,843.  It  is  beautifully  laid  off  and  well 
shaded,  handsomely  built,  wnth  fine  public  buildings,  numberless  fine 
residences,  extensive  business  houses,  mills  and  factories,  and  does  a 
very  extensive  business  in  fish  and  trucking. 


Deiscription  op  Counties.  327 


Craven  county  contains  316,726  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $695,362; 
and  1,511  town  lots,  valued  at  $1,194,268. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — 1,239  horses;  849  mules;  6,082 
cattle;  445  goats;  14,101  hogs;  1,792  sheep. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State,  $5,990.70;  pensions,  $1,216.10; 
schools,  $10,543.35;  county,  $27,573.96. 

Population — white,  7,175;  colored,  13,358;  total,  20,533. 

CUMBERLAND, 

Through  the  middle  of  Cumberland  county,  from  its  western 
margin,  on  the  Moore  county  line,  to  the  Cape  Fear  river,  which 
crosses  the  eastern  side  of  the  county,  lies  a  broad,  irregular  zone  of 
"pine  barrens,"  with  a  very  sandy  soil  and  an  almost  exclusive 
growth  of  long-leaf  pine.  On  both  sides  of  this  zone,  along  the 
northern  and  southern  sections  of  the  county,  with  unimportant 
exceptions,  and  in  the  section  eastward  of  the  Cape  Fear  river,  the 
soils  belong  to  the  class  of  gray  sandy  loams  of  the  average  upland 
piny  woods.  Near  the  river,  on  both  sides,  are  large  tracts  of  semi- 
swamp  and  oak  and  pine  flats,  which  are  very  productive.  Many  of 
the  streams  which  flow  from  the  central  pine  barrens  of  the  county 
contain  narrow  fringes  of  gum  and  cypress  swamp,  and  the  swampy 
tracts  along  the  river  often  contain  a  considerable  percentage  of 
cypress.  The  turpentine  and  lumber  interests  are  still  important, 
though  of  diminishing  importance  each  year  with  the  gradual  and 
certain  consumption  of  the  pine  forests.  The  west  side  of  the  river, 
after  rising  from  the  river  bottoms,  is  a  rolling  sandy  country,  occa- 
sionally presenting  broad  flats  of  lands  susceptible  of  high  improve- 
ment, producing  grains  and  fruits  of  marked  excellence.  The  river 
lands  are  devoted  to  cotton  and  corn,  and  fruits.  The  soil  and 
climate  are  just  right  for  the  production  of  the  finer  grades  of  tea, 
such  as  come  from  China  and  Japan.  Before  the  Civil  war,  the  then 
U.  S.  Commissioner  of  Agriculture  began  experiments  in  tea  culture, 
and  the  trees  there  planted  still  flourish,  and  some  tea  is  annually 
produced.  The  possibilities  in  this  direction  present  opportunities 
for  future  successful  work. 

Through  the  pine  lands  run  numerous  bold,  strong  and  swiftly 
flowing  streams,  never  diminished  by  drought  and  rarely  excited  by 
freshet.  These,  from  the  earliest  settlement,  furnished  convenient 
mill-sites,  and  originated  that  active  1  Limber  industry  so  stimulating 
to  the  prosperity  of  the  county  and  that  of  the  towns  on  the  Cape 
Fear  river;  and,  upon  the  successful  introduction  of  the  cotton 
manufacture  into  the  State,  their  power  was  speedily  applied  to  the 
use  of  cotton-mills,  which  were  built  in  the  town  of  Fayetteville,  on 
Cross  and  Blount's  creek,  on  Buckhead,  Beaver  Dam  and  Rockfish 
(two  of  these)  creeks,  and  on  L,ower  Little  river;  and  on  all  of  these 
there  are  now  large  and  flourishing  cotton  factories. 

Cumberland  county,  of  which  Fayetteville  is  now  the  chief  com- 
mercial city,  was  formed  in  1734,  and  taken  from  that  extensive  terri- 
tory then  called  "Bladen,"  and  was  named  in  compliment  to  William, 
Duke  of  Cumberland. 


328  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


In  1736  a  ship-load  of  emigrants  came  over  from  the  Highlands 
of  Scotland  and  located  in  Cumberland,  on  the  Cape  Fear,  near  the 
mouth  of  Cross  creek,  where  they  found  a  number  of  their  countrymen 
already  settled.  For  several  years,  and  immediately  after  the  battle 
of  Culloden,  1746,  large  companies  of  the  Highlanders  continued  to 
come,  until  the  colony  became  quite  numerous;  so  that,  in  1760, 
the  settlement  began  to  assume  importance,  and*  was  formally  set 
apart  for  a  town.  It  was  called  "Campbellton,"  in  honor  of  Mr. 
Farquhard  Campbell,  who  was  the  principal  personage  among  them. 

Fayetteville,  the  county  seat,  is  situated  at  the  head  of  steamboat 
navigation  on  the  Cape  Fear  river,  120  miles  by  water  above  Wil- 
mington. Its  position,  both  with  relation  to  the  seaport  of  Wilming- 
ton and  to  the  interior,  gave  it  an  early  and  a  very  great  importance, 
and  after  the  Revolutionary  war  it  became  the  chief  receiving  and 
distributing  point  for  a  greater  number  of  the  interior  towns  and 
counties.  It  lost  much  of  its  importance  by  the  construction  of 
railroads,  which  largely  diverted  its  traffic  to  other  points.  By 
enlarging  the  operations  of  its  business,  which  it  was  enabled  to  do 
by  the  addition  of  naval  stores  to  the  subjects  of  its  business,  and  by 
the  construction  of  several  railroads,  it  is  rapidly  regaining  what  it 
had  lost.  It  now  has  the  Cape  Fear  and  Yadkin  Valley  road,  extend- 
ing from  Mt.  Airy,  in  Surry  county,  passing  through  Greensboro  and 
terminating  at  Wilmington,  with  a  branch  from  Fayetteville  to 
Bennettsville,  3.  C,  a  total  of  upwards  of  ^75  miles.  In  addition  to 
this,  the  Coast  Line  system  has  completed  its  short-cut  from  Wilson, 
N.  C,  to  Florence,  S.  C,  thus  shortening  the  distance  between  north 
and  south,  on  this  great  highway  of  travel,  by  sixty  miles.  These 
additions  to  railroad  facilities  make  Fayetteville  an  important  railroad 
centre,  through  the  good  influences  of  which  it  must  develop  and 
prosper.  Fayetteville  is  situated  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Cape  Fear 
river,  and  has  a  population  of  5,000,  and,  including  Cross  township, 
of  7,500. 

Cumberland  county  contains  483,402  acres  of  land,  valued  at 
$1,367,750;  and  1,331  town  lots,  valued  at  $759,660. 

Oi  domestic  animals  there  are  1,117  horses;  1,403  mules;  1,668 
goats;  8,030  cattle;  22,480  hogs;  4,444  sheep. 

Product  of  taxation — For  State  Purposes,  $6,247.06;  pensions, 
$1,278.33;  schools,  $11,537.50;  county,  $22,874.32. 

Population — white,    14,952;  colored,  12,369;  total,  27,321. 

CURRITUCK. 

Currituck  county  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  Virginia,  east  by 
the  Atlantic  ocean,  south  by  Dare  county,  Kitty  Hawk  bay  and 
Albemarle  sound  and  west  by  North  river  and  Camden  county.  It  is 
traversed  north  and  south  by  the  Currituck  sound,  which  is  on  an 
average  about  six  miles  wide.  Between  this  sound  and  the  Atlantic 
ocean,  lies  a  narrow  strip  of  sand  beach  about  half  a  mile  in  width. 
This  beach  is  interspersed  with  sand-dunes,  which  rise  to  a  height  of 
about  fifty  feet.     That  part  of  the  beach  called  Kitty  Hawk  is  covered 


Description  of  Counties.  329 


with  a  growth  of  short  leaf  pine,  oak,  hickory,  dogwood,  holly,  &c. 
The  body  of  the  county  is  generally  level  and  has  a  growth  of  oaks, 
hickory,  short  leaf  pine,  holly,  gum,  maple,  juniper  or  white  cedar, 
cypress,  poplar,  etc. 

The  soils  in  this  county  are  of  different  varieties — peaty,  clay, 
clay  loam,  sandy  loam  and  sandy;  they  are  adapted  to  the  culture  of 
corn,  oats,  cotton,  potatoes,  both  sweet  and  irish,  melons  and  vegeta- 
bles of  all  kinds.  Peaches,  apples,  pears,  strawberries  and  other 
fruits  also  thrive  well,  and  blackberries  and  huckleberries  grow  wild 
in  profusion.  All  of  these  are  shipped  in  season  to  cities  north  as 
far  as  New  York  and  Boston.  The  shipping  facilities  are  abundant 
both  by  rail  and  water.  The  Norfolk  and  Southern  railroad  passes 
through  the  county,  but  the  chief  shipping  route  is  by  the  Albemarle 
and  Chesapeake  canal,  which  connects  Currituck  sound  with  Chesa- 
peake bay. 

Currituck  sound  abounds  in  fish  of  different  varieties,  which  are 
caught  and  shipped  to  market.  lyarge  quantities  of  fish  are  also 
caught  in  the  ocean  and  shipped  from  Currituck  county.  Wild  fowl, 
such  as  geese,  ducks,  brant  and  swan,  arrive  in  large  numbers  about 
the  first  of  October,  and  inhabit  the  waters  of  Currituck  sound,  until 
the  first  of  April,  being  equalled  in  numbers  nowhere  along  our 
coast,  and  the  food  they  obtain  being  abundant  and  conducive  to  high 
flavor,  this  section  is  much  resorted  to  by  gunners  for  market,  as 
well  as  sportsmen.  Their  shooting  is  almost  entirely  upon  the  public 
waters  of  the  sound,  from  batteries,  bush  blinds,  etc. 

The  sound  is  interspersed  with  numerous  islands  of  low  marsh 
lands,  and  considerable  marsh  land  is  also  attached  to  the  beach,  both 
of  which  are  used  for  grazing  purposes.  Islands,  marshes  and  beach 
lands  on  the  east  side  of  the  sound  are  almost  entirely  owned  by 
wealthy  amateur  sportsmen,  who  resort  here  in  the  game  season, 

Currituck  county  contains  127,865  acres  of  land,  valued  $310,885. 

The  number  of  domestic  animals  is — horses,  1,407;  mules,  294; 
goats,  93;  cattle,  3,441;  hogs,  10,403;  sheep,  2,389. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  uses,  $1,316,95;  pensions,  $314,01; 
schools,  $3,235,49;  county,  $4,178.36. 

Population — white,  4,731;  colored,  2,016;  total,  6,747. 

DARE. 

The  surface  of  Dare  county  is  mainly  water,  the  land,  made  up 
of  a  succession  of  long,  narrow  islands  and  peninsulas,  being  inter- 
penetrated throughout  by  great  bays,  sounds  and  navigable  bayous. 
The  county  is  bounded  eastward  by  the  Atlantic  ocean,  westward  by 
Alligator  river  and  southward  by  Pamlico  sound.  The  larger  por- 
tion, on  the  main-land,  is  a  swamp,  which  lies  a  few  feet  above  tide- 
level.  Around  the  margins  of  this  portion,  next  the  sound,  are  tracts 
of  a  few  miles,  in  places,  of  drainable,  cultivable  land  belonging  to 
the  general  description  of  oak  flats,  having  a  gray-loam  soil  of  a  close 
texture.  It  is  also  fringed  by  considerable  bodies  of  marsh  land  next 
to  the  sound,  from  which  large  crops  of  cranberries  are  gathered. 
E-oanoke  Island,  a  part  of  this  county,  lies  within  the  upper  portion 


330  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


of  Pamlico  sound,  and  is  a  narrow  tract  twelve  miles  in  length  and 
from  two  to  three  miles  in  width.  The  upper  portion  is  for  the  most 
part  sandy,  with  a  short-leaf  pine  growth,  intermixed  with  oaks,  and 
the  southern  half  is  mainly  swamp  and  marsh.  The  easternmost  part 
of  the  county,  like  the  corresponding  portion  of  Currituck,  is  a  nar- 
row fringe  of  sand  reef,  properly  a  dune,  which  was  originally  cov- 
ered with  a  forest  of  short-leaf  pine,  oaks,  hickories,  dogwood,  etc., 
with  abundance  of  grape-vines.  Here  it  was  that  the  Scuppernong 
or  its  parent  vine,  was  discovered  by  Amadas  and  Barlowe,  and  thus 
referred  to  in  Dr.  Hawk's  history  of  the  State,  describing  the  landing 
on  Roanoke  Island  in  1584:  "We  viewed  the  land  about  us,  being 
where  we  first  landed  very  sandy  and  low  toward  the  waterside,  but 
so  full  of  grapes,  as  the  very  beating  and  surge  of  the  sea  overflowed 
them,  of  which  we  found  such  plenty  as  well  there  as  in  all  places 
else,"  &c.  These  have  in  part  disappeared,  leaving  a  tract  of  sand 
waves,  which  are  moving,  under  the  impact  of  the  trade  winds,  con- 
stantly toward  the  south-west  into  the  sound,  and  sometimes  rise  to  a 
height  of  more  than  100  feet.  There  is  comparatively  little  tillable 
land  in  the  county. 

This  county  was  formed  in  1870  from  the  county  of  Hyde,  to 
which  was  added  portions  of  Carteret  and  Tyrrell  counties,  and  derives 
its  name  from  Virginia  Dare,  the  first  white  child  born  on  the  con- 
tinent. A  very  large  portion  of  Dare  county  is  swamp  land,  and 
there  are  large  bodies  of  it  heavily  timbered  with  cypress  and  juniper. 
On  the  side  bounded  by  Pamlico  sound  there  are  lands  that  will  pro- 
duce grasses,  vegetables,  corn,  peas  and  potatoes.  No  portion  of 
eastern  Carolina  presents  better  facilities  for  cattle-raising,  the  feed 
being  abundant  and  the  climate  mild.  The  chief  industry  is  fishing, 
which  is  carried  on  to  a  great  extent.  Roanoke  Island  forms  a  part 
of  this  county.  Upon  this  island  is  Manteo,  the  county  seat,  named 
in  honor  of  the  Indian  chief  Manteo,  the  first  of  his  race  on  the  new 
continent  to  embrace  the  Christian  religion.  This  island  was  the  first 
place  on  the  continent  colonized  by  the  English. 

In  this  county,  on  the  banks  lying  immediately  upon  the  sea 
coast,  is  the  far-famed  place  of  summer  resort,  known  as  Nags  Head. 
This  delightful  resort  is  noted  for  its  health,  the  sea-bathing,  and  its 
fine  drives. 

Dare  county  has  188,178  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $175,165,  and 
79  town  lots,  valued  at  $25,555. 

Domestic  animals  are — 549  horses;  33  mules;  137  goats;  2,026 
cattle;  2,726  hogs;  1,140  sheep. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  use,  $771.89;  pensions,  $185.35;, 
schools,  $1,704.16;  county  $2,494.69. 

Population — white,  3,362;  colored,  406;  total,  3,768. 

DAVIDSON. 

Is  one  of  the  largest  and  finest  counties  in  the  State.  It  was 
established  in  1822,  from  Rowan,  and  was  "named  in  compliment  of 
Gen.  William  Davidson,  who  fell  at  the  passage  of  the  Catawba  river^ 


Description  of  Counties.  331 


at  Chowan's  Ford  during  the  Revolutionary  war,  first  of  February, 
1781." 

It  is  situated  in  the  central  portion  of  the  State,  in  the  Piedmont 
region.  Whether  viewed  from  its  eastern  and  western  or  from  its 
southern  and  northern  boundaries,  it  is  nearly  in  the  center  of  the 
State,  although  L/exington,  its  county  seat,  is  one  hundred  and  seven- 
teen miles  west  of  Raleigh.  It  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  Forsyth, 
east  by  Guilford  and  Randolph,  south  by  the  Yadkin  river,  which 
separates  it  from  Stanly  and  Rowan,  and  on  the  west  by  the  same 
river  which  separates  it  from  Rowan  and  Davie. 

The  county  early  attracted  attention  through  the  great  fertility 
of  the  soil,  especially  in  the  southwestern  part  and  that  lying  along 
the  Yadkin  river  and  its  lower  tributaries,  and  it  was  in  this  section 
that  was  formed  the  famous  Jersey  Settlement,  or  a  portion  of  it^ 
a  name  given  by  immigrants  chiefly  from  New  Jersey  and  portions  of 
Pennsylvania — retaining  to  this  day  its  name,  its  fertility  and  the 
agricultural  skill  and  industry  of  its  early  settlers. 

The  county  is  still  one  of  the  leading  producers  of  corn,  oats  and 
wheat,  and  in  the  latter  probably  has  no  equal  in  the  State.  The 
lands  are  as  a  whole,  fertile  and  easily  responsive  to  proper  treatment. 
It  is  also  a  large  producer  of  the  better  grades  of  tobacco,  fine  hay 
and  excellent  fruits  and  vegetables.  Some  cotton  is  also  grown 
and  of  excellent  quality.  It  has  still  immense  and  valuable  forests 
of  oak,  hickory,  poplar,  ash  and  pine. 

It  is  one  of  the  leading  counties  in  its  mineral  wealth,  being  in 
the  "gold  belt,"  yet  producing  in  the  past  more  silver  than  the  rest 
of  the  State  put  together.  The  Silver  Hill  and  Silver  Valley  mines 
are  among  the  best  known  in  the  State,  and  the  former  has  been 
developed  to  a  depth  of  near  eight  hundred  feet.  Besides  these  may 
be  mentioned  the  Conrad  Hill  mines,  the  Lalor,  the  Ward,  the  Wel- 
born,  the  Hoover  and  the  Emmons. 

The  county  is  traversed  from  northeast  to  southwest  by  the  North 
Carolina  division  of  the  Southern  Railway  system,  and  along  the  line 
are  a  number  of  thriving  towns.  The  Legislature  at  its  session  of 
1889,  cut  off  a  portion  of  Davidson  and  credited  it  to  the  county  of 
Forsyth. 

Lexington  is  the  capital,  a  most  flourishing  and  beautiful  village- 
of  2,000  inhabitants.  It  contains  several  manufacturing  establish- 
ments, including  two  large  cotton  mills.  Thomasville  is  noted  for  its 
good  schools;  it  has  a  population  of  500,  and  has  manufacturing  and 
other  industries.  There  are  a  number  of  smaller  villages  in  the  county, 
all  of  which    are  centers  of  some  industry. 

The  climate  is  pleasant,  not  being  subject  to  the  extremes  of  heat 
and  cold,  an  abundance  of  pure  cold  water,  a  rich  soil,  good  church 
and  school  facilities,  accessibility  to  good  markets  and  an  hospitable 
people,  all  make  it  one  of  the  most  desirable  counties  for  business  and 
residence  to  be  found  in  the  State. 

Davidson  county  contains  314,482  acres  of  land,  valued  at 
$1,839,727,  and  623  town  lots,  valued  at  $329,186. 


332  North  Carolina  and  its  Resourcibs. 


Domestic  animals  are — horses,  3,846;  mules,  1,624;  cattle,  8,008; 
hogs,  13,213;  sheep,  5,692. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  uses,  $7,273.49;  pensions,  $1,422. 
62;  schools,  $11,291.37;  county,  $9,623.38. 

Population — white,  18,174;  colored,  3,528;  total,  21,702. 

DAVIE. 

This  is  a  small  county  lying  in  the  angle  between  the  Yadkin 
and  South  Yadkin  rivers.  In  the  southern  half  of  this  county  the 
soils  belong  largely  to  the  class  of  red  clays,  and  are  covered  with 
heavy  oak  forests,  while  the  middle  and  northern  portions  have  a 
mixed  growth  of  oaks  and  pines,  and  a  light  gray,  sandy  and  gravelly 
soil.  This  section  of  the  county  is  mainly  devoted  to  the  culture  of 
tobacco.  The  river  hills,  flanking  both  the  Yadkin  and  its  chief 
tributaries,  are  quite  broken,  and  have  a  productive  gravelly  loam 
soil  and  forests  predominantly  of  oak.  The  elevation  of  the  surface 
ranges  from  700  to  1,000  feet,  the  average  being  about  850  feet  above 
sea-level.  The  culture  of  cotton  has  recently  entered  the  southern 
and  western  townships.  The  grain  crop  is  quite  large,  and  latterly, 
also,  tobacco  has  been  cultivated  to  a  considerable  extent  in  the  north 
and  west  sections,  the  soils  of  a  large  part  of  its  territory  being  well 
adapted  to  the  higher  grades.  There  are  several  valuable  iron  ore 
deposits  in  the  county. 

Along  the  Yadkin  there  is  much  fine  bottom  land,  prolific  in 
wheat,  corn,  and  other  small  grains,  forming  an  important  proportion 
of  the  beautiful  "Valley  of  the  Yadkin,"  one  of  the  most  beau- 
tiful and  productive  on  this  continent,  of  perpetual  fertility, 
maintained  by  frequent  but  not  destructive  overflows,  the  usually 
placid  current  permitting  the  gradual  subsidence  of  a  rich  sedi- 
ment which  adds  to  the  soil,  as  do  the  waters  of  the  Nile  to  that 
of  Egypt. 

The  soil  is  well  adapted  to  the  production  of  grass,  and  stock  of 
all  kinds  are  profitably  raised.  It  is  also  a  good  fruit  county,  excel- 
lent peaches,  pears,  grapes  and  apples  are  produced. 

The  county  is  now  traversed  by  a  railroad,  at  present  in  opera- 
tion from  Winston  to  Mocksville,  and  ultimately  to  be  extended  to 
some  point  on  the  Western  North  Carolina  road.  The  northern  and 
northeastern  sections  are  not  far  remote  from  the  Winston  and 
Wilkesboro  railroad ;  and  the  two  lines  give  reasonably  ample  facili- 
ties for  travel  and  transportation. 

Mocksville  is  the  county  seat,  and,  including  the  township,  con- 
tains 2,500  inhabitants. 

Davie  county  contains  163,792  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $963,238 
and  242  town  lots,  valued,  at  $105,603. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — 1,762  horses;  1,125  mules;  3,848 
cattle;  7,064  hogs;  1,452  sheep. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  purposes,  $3,459.30;  pensions, 
$705.64;  schools,  $5,558;  county,  $7,950.89. 

Population — white,  8,769;  colored,  2,852;  total,  11,621. 


Description  op  Counties.  333 


DUPLIN 

Adjoins  Lenoir  and  Sampson,  and,  like  them,  has  considerable  varia- 
tion of  soil  and  surface.  The  northern  portion  consists  of  level  piny 
uplands,  penetrated  with  frequent  streams  margined  with  swamps.  It 
is  drained  by  North-east  Cape  Fear  river,  which  flows  southward 
through  its  middle  section,  and  both  this  and  the  numerous  tributaries 
are  bordered  by  belts  of  alluvial  and  often  swampy  lands.  Near  its  north- 
ern and  eastern  borders  are  two  small  pocosons,  and  within  its  south- 
ern section  lies  one  half  of  the  great  Angola  Bay  pocoson,  an  almost 
impenetrable  jungle  of  the  average  character  of  pocoson  lands,  with 
fringes  of  rich  swamp  lands  on  the  streams  that  issue  from  it.  This 
pocoson  is  flanked  on  the  westward  toward  the  North-east  Cape  Fear 
river  by  a  fringe  of  fertile  white-oak  flats  and  semi-swamp  lands,  and 
on  the  north  by  a  strip  of  sandy  pine  flats,  dotted  here  and  there  with 
fertile  spots.  The  "sandy  pine  hills"  are  not  confined  to  any  part  of 
the  county,  and  are  of  insignificant  size.  The  cotton  lands  which  are 
of  limited  extent,  are  the  level  piny  woods  of  the  usual  description; 
but  corn  is  a  more  valuable  crop,  and  the  product  of  potatoes  and  up- 
land rice  and  trucking  are  of  considerable  importance.  On  and  near 
the  Wilmington  &  Weldon  railroad  stations,  strawberries,  cabbages, 
peas,  beans,  Irish  potatoes  and  other  vegetables,  for  the  northern 
markets,  are  produced  in  large  quantities,  and  the  business  is  increas- 
ing; while  thousands  of  dollars  are  brought  into  the  county  to  pay  for 
huckleberries.  One  of  the  largest  crate  and  basket  factories  is  located 
near  Warsaw  and  supplies  not  only  local  demands  but  also  those  of 
many  shippers  in  the  southern  States. 

Good  unimproved  lands  may  be  bought  for  as  low  as  $3  an  acre 
while  improved  lands  cost  only  a  few  dollars  more,  according  to  loca- 
tion and  proximity  to  transportation.  Besides  trucking,  tube-rose 
and  other  bulb  growing  gives  farmers  profitable  employment. 

The  county  has  still  valuable  resources  in  timber  and  turpentine 
lands.     Marl  (blue  and  white)  is  abundant,  though  but  little  used. 

The  county  is  traversed  in  its  whole  length  by  the  Wilmington 
and  Weldon  railroad,  and,  with  its  water-ways,  has  convenient  access 
to  markets. 

Kenansville,  the  county  seat,  has  a  population  cf  300:  Magnolia, 
with  a  population  of  500;  Faison's,  of  275,  and  Warsaw,  of  450,  are 
small  towns  lying  on  the  Wilmington  an  Weldon  Railroad.  From 
Warsaw  a  railroad  of  twelvemiles  extends  to  Clinton,  in  Sampson  county . 

Duplin  county  has  457,247  acres  of  land,  valued  at  ^957,251,  and 
475  town  lots,  valued  at  $131,514. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — 1820  horses;  mules,  876;  goats, 
2,687;  cattle,  9,678;  hogs,  30,622;  sheep,  5,093. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  use,  $1,644.06;  pensions,  $838.78; 
schools,  $8,103.59;  county,  $6,023.80. 

Population — white,  11,600;  colored,  7,090;  total,  18,690. 

DURHAM. 

This  county  was  formed  from  the  eastern  part  of  the  county  of 
Orange,    and  part  of  the  northwestern  corner  of  Wake.     This  was 


334  North  Caroi^ina  and  its  Resources. 


made  necessary  by  the  rapid  growth  of  the  town  of  Durham,  and  the 
creation  of  peculiar  interests  to  be  best  guarded  and  advanced  by  an 
administration  ofcounty  affairs  more  directly  addressed  to  those  interests. 

A  large  portion  of  the  territory  of  this  county  lies  in  that  sand- 
stone belt  or  old  sea-basin  extending  across  the  State  from  northeast 
to  southwest,  and  which  in  this  county  assumes  its  greatest  breadth. 
The  northern  and  western  part  of  the  county  is  of  a  different  geologi- 
cal period,  with  a  stififer  soil.  In  the  northeastern  part  the  parent 
streams  of  the  Neuse  river  unite — the  Eno,  Flat  and  Little  rivers — 
and  their  borders  are  all  margined  with  broad  rich  bottom  lands,  an 
extent  of  fertile  low  grounds  rarely  found  to  such  extent  in  the 
interior  of  the  State,  and  productive  in  cotton,  corn,  wheat,  oats  and 
other  grains,  and  the  grasses.  In  the  hill  country  along  their  valleys, 
and  in  the  gray  lands  towards  the  county  of  Granville,  are  found  the 
best  tobacco  lands,  producing  that  fine  quality  which  has  added  so 
much  to  the  fame  of  the  State  and  the  magnitude  of  the  Durham 
tobacco  market.  The  lands  not  in  cultivation  are  covered  with  oak, 
hickory,  short-leaf  pine  and  other  woods,  but  the  timber  is  nowhere 
large  except  in  the  still  uncleaned  bottoms,  where  the  trees  attain  a 
magnitude  scarcely  surpassed  anywhere  in  the  State.  Dairying  and 
stock  raising,  have  recently  been  successfully  added  to  the  agricul- 
ture of  the  count3^ 

The  staple  crops  of  the  county  are  cotton  of  fine  quality,  tobacco 
of  the  highest  grade,  wheat,  corn,  oats,  &c.  The  lands  on  the  river 
bottoms  referred  to,  and  in  the  valleys  of  New  Hope  creek  and  its 
tributaries,  produce  large  crops  of  the  grains  of  all  kinds,  and  also 
good  crops  of  cotton,  but  are  not  adapted  to  fine  tobacco. 

Durham,  the  county  seat,  is  almost  the  sole  instance  in  this 
State  of  a  town  springing  from  a  cross-road  station  to  the  importance 
of  a  city,  all  in  less  than  the  lapse  of  a  generation.  It  was  a  petty 
village  in  1870.  It  is  now  known  all  over  the  world.  It  is  bisected 
by  the  North  Carolina  railroad,  and  is  the  terminus  of  the  I^ynch- 
burg  and  Durham,  and  of  roads  with  through  connections  from 
Durham  to  Oxford  and  to  Henderson.  It  is  the  seat  of  the  largest 
smoking  tobacco  factory  in  the  world — the  original  Blackwell  and 
Carr;  of  the  largest  cigarette  factory  in  the  world — Duke  and  Son;  of 
numerous  other  smoking  tobacco  factories;  of  a  snuflf  factory;  of  sales 
warehouses,  selling  from  15,000,000  to  18,000,000  pounds  of  leaf  a 
year;  of  a  business  which  extends  not  only  over  the  United  States  but 
over  the  Western  Hemisphere,  over  the  whole  world;  of  five  cotton 
factories  and  two  hosiery  mills;  of  a  fertilizer  factory,  of  other 
important  industries,  and  it  is  also  the  seat  of  Trinity  College,  the 
chief  Methodist  College  of  the  State;  numerous  churches,  graded  and 
other  schools  for  both  races;  has  water- works,  gas  and  electric 
lighting  and  telephone  exchange,  in  addition  to  which  it  has  all  the 
advantages  derived  from  the  use  of  a  belt  line  of  railroad. 

Durham  county  contains  164,863  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $1,633,- 
214,  and  793  town  lots,  valued  at  1,520,100. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — 1,596  horses;  899  mulesj  3,827 
cattle;  hogs,  6,953;  sheep,  990. 


Description  of  Counties.  335 


Proceeds  of  taxation — for  State  uses,  $16,668.39;  pensions,  $2,- 
812.00;  schools,  $19,485.85;  county,  $22,539,85. 

Population — white,  10,712;  colored,  7,329;  total,  18,041. 

EDGECOMBE. 

Edgecombe  is  a  typical  county  of  the  long-leaf  pine  region.  It 
is  traversed  through  its  middle  portion  by  the  Tar  river,  and  is  drained 
by  its  numerous  tributaries.  The  soils  are  characteristically  gray 
sandy  loams,  with  a  yellow  to  brown  subsoil,  and  belong  to  the  region 
of  level  piny  uplands.  Along  the  borders  of  the  various  streams  are 
frequent  and  extensive  tracts  of  alluvial  lands,  and  on  some  of  them 
occur  cypress  and  gum  swamps.  This  is  one  of  the  leading  cotton  coun- 
ties of  the  State,  and  its  corn  crop  is  also  among  the  largest.  The  long- 
leaf  pines  have  been  thinned  until  they  are  a  subordinate  element,  so 
that  the  remaining  forests  a.re  mainly  of  short-leaf  pine  and  oak. 

Both  commercial  fertilizers  and  the  native  marls  have  been  more 
largely  used  than  elsewhere  in  the  State,  and,  in  connection  with  com- 
post, most  effectively;  so  that  Edgecombe  has  long  been  foremost 
in  this  special  agriculture  of  the  east. 

Edgecombe  was  formed  from  Craven,  in  1733,  by  Governor  Bur- 
rington  and  his  council,  and  this  action  was  confirmed  by  the  Legisla- 
ture which  met  in  Edenton  in  1741.  During  the  period  of  the  Revo- 
lution the  county  of  Edgecombe  was  foremost  in  resisting  the  exact- 
ions of  the  mother  country. 

The  soil  of  the  county  has  every  variety,  from  the  black  peaty 
soil  to  the  stiff  clay.  The  predominating  soil  is  a  light  friable  loam, 
being  about  four  inches  in  depth,  shading  off  in  most  places  to  a  sub- 
soil of  yellow  sand.  When  fresh,  it  is  of  a  darkish  color,  wearing 
white  by  use  when  not  well  manured  and  properly  cultivated.  This 
soil  is  easy  to  till  at  all  seasons  of  the  year. 

The  variety,  excellence  and  abundance  of  the  products  indicate 
alike  the  character  of  the  soil  and  the  intelligence  and  industry  of  the 
farmers.  Those  who  at  an  early  period  assisted  or  directed  nature  in  the 
use  of  her  forces,  and  by  the  skilful  application  of  fertilizers,  and  by 
the  careful  husbanding  and  skilful  manipulation  of  all  domestic  stores 
of  fertility,  made  Edgecombe  conspicuous  as  one  of  the  best  and  most 
profitably  cultivated  counties  in  the  State.  Corn  and  cotton  consti- 
tute the  most  valuable  field  crops,  but  wheat,  oats,  rice,  potatoes, 
peas,  tobacco,  etc.,  are  cultivated  largely  and  successfully.  Truck 
farming  is  enlisting  enterprise  and  capital,  and  is  remunerative.  Dairy 
farming  is  pursued  to  considerable  extent,  with  satisfactory^  results. 
Tobacco  is  being  cultivated  to  a  considerable  extent,  no  less  than 
5,000  acres  will  be  set  to  this  crop  in  1896,  and  4,000,000  pounds  of 
bright  tobacco  v/ill  reward  the  farmers.  The  effect  of  this  increase 
in  this  and  adjacent  counties  is  to  transfer  to  this  section  much  of  the 
interest  once  centered  on  the  counties  in  the  Piedmont  region,  and  to 
have  necessitated  the  erection  of  sales  warehouses,  tobacco  factories 
and  all  the  agencies  needed  for  the  handling  ofthe  annually  increasing 
crops. 


336  North  Caroi^ina  and  its  Resources. 


Tarboro,  the  county  seat,  is  situated  at  the  head  of  navigation  on 
Tar  river,  and,  with  four  railroad  outlets,  has  commercial  advantages 
surpassed  by  few  towns  in  the  State.  It  has  a  population  of  2,000,  or, 
including  Princeville  and  Tarboro  township,  of  4,500. 

There  are  four  cotton  seed  oil  mills  situated  at  Tarboro,  Swift 
Creek,  Conetoe  and  Shilo,  each  doing  a  profitable  business,  milling 
all  the  surplus  seed  of  this  and  adjacent  counties. 

At  Tarboro  is  the  Tarboro  Cotton  Mills,  $165,000  capital  stock, 
12,000  spindles  and  250  employees.  The  Tar  River  Knitting  Mills, 
also  located  at  Tarboro,  employs  about  one  hundred  and  twenty  hands 
and  sells  most  of  its  goods  in  the  northwest.  Trucking  is  decidedly  on 
increase  and  large  quantities  of  cabbage,  potatoes  and  asparagus  are 
shipped  annually. 

There  are  two  large  tobacco  sales  houses  in  Tarboro  that  sell  at 
least  3,000,000  pounds  bright  tobacco  annually;  several  large  prize 
houses;  one  peanut  factory  and  one  bag  factory  for  manufacturing 
peanut  sacks. 

The  peanut  industry  has  been  particularly  advantageous  to  the 
county  in  increasing  the  amount  of  meat  raised  by  the  farmers. 

Rocky  Mount,  partly  in  Edgecombe  and  partly  in  Nash,  and 
bisected  by  the  line  of  the  Wilmington  and  Weldon  Railroad,  has  a 
population  of  1,000.  The  branch  road  for  Tarboro  begins  at  this 
point.  In  the  vicinity,  at  the  Falls  of  Tar  River,  are  the  Battle  Cot- 
ton Mills,  the  oldest  in  North  Carolina. 

Edgecombe  county  has  306,757  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $1,464,- 
396,  and  983  town  lots,  valued  at  $514,701. 

Of  domestic  animals,  there  are — horses,  1,595;  uiules,  2,300;  cat- 
tle, 4,929;  hogs,  19,259;  sheep,  2,060;  goats,  506. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  use, $6, 658. 52;  pensions, $1,348. 85; 
schools,  $11,274.06;  county,  $17,016.75. 

Population — white,  8,513;  colored,  15,600;  total,  24,113. 

FORSYTH. 

In  common  with  all  the  other  western  counties  of  this  State, 
Forsyth  has  borne  a  series  of  names,  having  been  a  part  successively 
of  Anson,  Rowan,  Surry  and  Stokes,  as  they  were  divided  and  sub- 
divided. It  was  erected  January  16,  1849,  and  named  after  Col. Benja- 
min Forsyth,  of  Stokes  Co.,  who  served  in  the  Revolution  and  was 
killed  in  a  skirmish  in  Canada,  in  1814. 

Forsyth  lies  among  the  foothills  of  the  Blue  Ridge,  and  is  well 
watered,  a  broad  swell  across  the  central  portion  forming  the  divide 
between  the  Dan  and  Yadkin,  with  their  numerous  branches.  The 
tributaries  of  the  Yadkin,  which  drain  the  southwestern  section, 
abound  in  bottom  lands  of  great  fertility,  and  have  heavy  oak  forests, 
interspersed  with  hickory,  walnut,  poplar,  etc.,  while  in  the  northern 
and  eastern  sections,  oak  and  pine  predominate.  The  soils  are  red 
clay,  and  a  gray  sandy  loam,  w':ich  is  admirably  adapted  to  the  culti- 
vation of  tobacco.  Wheat  grows  finely,  as  well  as  corn,  oats  and 
other  grains,  and  the  grasses;  while  fruits,  vegetables,  grapes  and 
melons  of  almost  every  variety  grow  in  the  greatest  profusion. 


Description  of  Counties.  337 


When,  in  1753  the  Uniias  Fratuvi^  or  Moravian  Church,  decided 
to  purchase  land  and  establish  a  settlement  in  North  Carolina,  its 
agents  travelled  over  all  of  Earl  Granville's  possessions,  from  the  At- 
lantic into  Tennessee,  and  chose,  as  the  land  best  suited  to  their  pur- 
pose, a  tract  in  what  is  now  Forsyth  county,  whose  fertile  meadows, 
wooded  hills  and  numerous  water  courses  attracted  them  more  than 
the  mountains  of  the  west  or  the  lowlands  of  the  east.  This  tract 
they  named  "Wachovia,"  and  the  first  town,  Bethabara,  was  begun 
on  November  17  of  the  same  year.  In  1766  the  town  of  Salem  v/as 
commenced,  and  rapidly  attained  importance  as  the  principal  seat  of 
the  Moravian  Church  in  the  South.  The  people  were  noted  for  their 
energy,  industry  and  thrift,  and  these  traits  have  been  inherited  not 
only  by  the  later  inhabitants  of  that  town  but  by  the  adjoining  town 
of  Winston  as  well,  and  have  made  possible  the  great  strides  of 
improvement  that  have  marked  the  recent  years. 

When  Forsyth  county  was  divided  from  Stokes,  the  State  Legis- 
lature appointed  five  Commissioners,  Francis  Fries  being  Chairman, 
who  were  to  select  and  buy  a  site  for  a  courthouse  and  a  jail,  the 
nucleus  of  a  county  town  which  a  later  Legislature  christened 
"Winston."  They  purchased  fifty-one  and  one-quarter  acres  just 
north  of  Salem,  at  $5.00  an  acre,  located  the  courthouse  in  the  cen- 
tre, and  laid  out  the  streets  to  correspond  with  those  of  the  older  town, 
and  to-day  the  "  Twin  City  "  joins  hands  across  an  imaginary  line 
on  the  south  side  of  First  Street.  Two  towns,  which  no  stranger  can 
separate;  two  municipal  governments,  and  but  one  Chamber  of  Com- 
merce; two  water-works,  and  but  one  street  railway  and  one  system 
of  electric  lights;  where  can  the  match  be  found  to  this  anomaly! 

In  addition  to  the  modern  life  and  improvements  that  have  come 
to  her  through  contact  with  her  sister  town,  Salem  retains  a  number 
of  distinctive  features.  The  Moravian  Church,  almost  a  century  old, 
gathers  large  congregations  from  Sunday  to  Sunday  and  at  her  special 
services,  and  has  built  a  number  of  chapels  in  more  distant  parts  of 
the  community.  The  Cedar  Avenue  and  the  adjacent  grave3"ard 
charm  every  visitor;  and  the  Salem  Female  Academy',  established 
in  1802,  the  oldest  and  most  widely  known  institution  of  its  kind  in 
the  South,  draws  large  numbers  annually  within  its  hospitable  doors. 
The  most  important  industries  in  Salem  are  the  cotton,  woolen  and 
flouring  mills  of  F.  and  H.  Fries,  the  South  Side  Cotton  Mills,  Salem 
Iron  Co.,  Vance's  Iron  Works,  Fogle  Bros.  Woodworking  Establish- 
ment, several  tobacco  factories.  Broom  Factorj^,  Canning  Factory  and 
the  Wagon  Works  of  Spaugh  Bros.,  C.  F.  Nissen  &  Co.  and  Geo.  E. 
Nissen  &  Co.,  the  last  being  one  of  the  largest  in  the  South. 

Winston,  the  county  seat,  has  grown  with  great  rapidity  and  to 
great  wealth  through  its  adaptation  to  the  tobacco  trade  and  the 
sagacity  of  its  people  in  improving  their  opportunities.  The  paved 
streets,  handsome  hotels,  business  houses.  City  Hall  and  market 
house,  near  the  Square,  where  an  imposing  court  house  is  being  erec- 
ted, bespeak  the  enterprise  of  the  people;  while  the  wide  residence 
Streets  and  well-kept  boulevards,  deserve  more  than  a  passing  glance. 
Among  the  churches,  almost  every  denomination  is  represented. 
22 


338  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


The  largest  congregations  are  the  Methodist  Episcopal,  the  Presby- 
terian and  Baptist,  and  in  addition  are  the  Episcopal,  Moravian, 
Lutheran,  Protestant,  Methodist,  Christian  and  Catholic  churches. 
The  Wachovia  National,  People's  National  and  First  National  Banks 
and  the  Wachovia  lyoan  and  Trust  Company  afford  unusually  good 
banking  facilities,  and  are  increasing  in  importance  with  every  day. 
Tobacco  is  the  staple  manufacture,  and  Forsyth  and  all  the  neighbor- 
ing counties  look  to  Winston  as  the  market  where  the  leaf  they  raise 
will  find  a  ready  sale  at  satisfactory  prices.  The  four  warehouses  sell 
an  average  of  more  than  15,000,000  lbs.  annually.  The  factory  of 
R.  J-  Reynolds,  is  the  largest  in  the  State,  and  several  other  firms 
have  a  business  almost  as  large.  The  total  annual  output  of  the 
thirty-five  plug  factories  is  over  12,000,000  lbs.  per  year,  worth  over 
$3,000,000,  and  paying  about  $750,000  revenue  tax.  Several  of 
the  firms  also  make  smoking  tobacco,  and  there  are  five  smoking 
tobacco  factories.  There  are  twenty-five  leaf  houses,  three  cigar 
factories  and  four  cigarette  factories,  which  make  a  grand  total  of 
seventj^-eight  houses  in  the  tobacco  business. 

Winston-Salem  is  well  supplied  with  railroads,  and  has  become 
an  important  railroad  centre.  The  Northwestern  North  Carolina 
Railroad — part  of  the  Southern  Railway  system — for  a  long  time 
began  at  Greensboro  and  had  Winston-Salem  as  its  terminus,  but 
has  been  extended  up  the  valley  of  the  Yadkin,  a  distance  of  seventy- 
five  miles  to  Wilkesboro,  in  Wilkes  Co.  Another  branch  has  been 
built  to  Mocksville,  in  Davie  Co.  The  Roanoke  and  Southern,  now 
belonging  to  the  Norfolk  and  Western  system,  connects  with  the  main 
line  of  that  road  at  Roanoke,  Va.,  and  will  probably  be  extended 
south  from  Winston-Salem,  in  the  near  future. 

The  population  of  Winston-Salem,  is  about  18,000,  of  which 
Winston  claims  14,000,  and  Salem  4,000. 

Several  thriving  towns  are  scattered  about  in  the  county,  the 
largest  being  Kernersville,  with  about  2,500  inhabitants. 

Forsyth  county  contains  247,452  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $1,461, 
077;  and  4,145  town  lots,  valued  at  $2,464,187. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — horses,  2,973;  mules,  1,386;  cat- 
tle, 6,051;  hogs,  9,172;  sheep,  1,467. 

Product  of  taxation — ■'or  State  uses,  $15,709.62;  pensions,  $2,886. 
01;  schools,  $21,578.26;  county,  $28,097,92. 

The  population  of  Forsyth  county  is  about  30,000,  of  which 
24,000  are  Vi^hite,  and  6,000  colored. 

FRANKLIN. 

The  v>^estern  portion  of  this  county  is  a  rolling  hilly  country, 
with  clay  predominant  in  the  soil,  and  bearing  a  natural  growth  of 
oak,  hickory  and  other  hard  woods,  and,  when  cultivated,  producing 
the  cereals,  cotton  and  tobacco.  The  eastern,  and  especially  the 
southeastern  section,  contains  a  considerable  proportion  of  long-leaf 
pine  as  a  constituent  of  the  forests.  This  county  is  drained  by  Tar 
river  and  its  tributaries.  The  middle  portion  belongs  to  the  region  of 
oak  and  pine  gravelly  and  sandy  hills,  and  the  western  end  rises  into 


Description  op  Counties.  339 


the  oak  uplands.  The  large  cotton  product  of  this  county  is  of 
recent  date,  but  here  and  in  the  adjoining  counties  it  has  greatly 
increased  in  the  last  dozen  years.  The  western  half  is  largely 
devoted  to  the  culture  of  tobacco. 

By  a  division  of  old  "  Bute,"  one  of  the  Colonial  counties,  in  the 
year  1779,  Franklin  and  Warren  were  established.  The  name,  "Bute," 
was  cast  aside  on  account  of  Earl  Bute's  hostility  to  the  cause  of 
liberty,  and  the  names  Franklin  and  Warren  were  given  to  the 
divided  territory  in  honor  of  the  distinguished  philosopher  and 
statesman.  Dr.  Benjamin  Franklin,  and  Dr.  Joseph  Warren,  the 
patriot-hero,  who  fell  at  Bunker  Hill. 

The  Raleigh  and  Gaston  railroad  passes  for  fourteen  miles 
through  this  county,  and  in  addition  to  the  facilities  afforded  by  it,  a 
road  has  been  constructed  from  Franklinton,  on  the  Raleigh  and 
Gaston  road,  to  Louisburg,  the  county  seat,  a  distance  of  nine  miles. 

The  county  singularly  abounds  in  minerals,  considering  its 
close  proximity  to  the  tertiary  belt.  Asbestos  and  mica  are  found, 
and  granite  of  fine  quality,  susceptible  of  high  polish,  is  found 
abundantly  in  some  localities.  But  the  most  remarkable  of  all  the 
discoveries  is  that  of  gold.  In  the  northeastern  portion  of  the  county, 
near  where  it  corners  with  Warren,  Nash  and  Halifax,  is  situated  the 
celebrated  Portis  gold  mine,  which  received  its  name  from  its  original 
owner,  John  Portis,  in  the  mud  daubing  of  whose  log  cabin  the 
shining  particle.=  were  first  discovered.  It  has  been  successfully 
worked  for  nearly  three  quarters  of  a  century,  more  than  a  million  of 
dollars  having  been  taken  from  it.  Most  of  this  large  amount  was 
washed  from  the  top  soil  and  gravel  beds  just  underneath  at  a  small 
cost.  Stamp  mills  and  other  machinery  for  crushing  the  inexhaustible 
beds  of  quartz  have  been  but  recently  introduced.  This  quartz,  when 
crushed  and  assayed,  has  been  found  to  carry  from  $6  to  $12  worth  of 
gold  to  the  ton.  And  several  other  discoveries  of  nearly  equal  value 
have  been  made  in  the  county. 

As  before  stated,  cotton  and  tobacco  are  the  chief  crops  raised 
for  market.  The  yield  of  cotton  is  from  8,000  to  10,000  bales 
annually,  and  of  tobacco  many  hundred  thousand  pounds. 

The  lowlands  upon  the  river  and  smaller  streams  are  well 
adapted  to  the  production  of  corn,  small  grain,  the  grasses  and  rice, 
only  requiring  proper  drainage  and  cultivation  to  make  bountiful 
crops,  one  hundred  bushels  of  corn  having  been  raised  to  the  acre. 

The  uplands  are  of  a  variety  of  soils;  in  the  lower  part  of  the 
county  light  sandy,  with  clay  subsoil;  in  the  middle  and  upper 
portions  granite,  mainly  with  red  and  yellow  clay  subsoil. 

lyarge  areas  of  these  uplands,  well  adapted  to  the  growth  of  corn, 
cotton,  tobacco,  wheat,  rye,  oats,  peas,  beans,  sweet  and  Irish 
potatoes,  clover  and  grass,  produce,  with  proper  cultivation  and 
manuring,  most  satisfactory  yields. 

There  are  two  well  equipped  modern  cotton  mills  in  the  county, 
besides  other  industries. 

lyouisburg,  the  county  seat,  has  a  population  of  700.  Franklinton, 
on  the  Raleigh  and  Gaston  railroad,  has  600. 


340  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


Franklin  county  has  284,385  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $149,769; 
and  449  town  lots,  valued  at  $319,735. 

Of  domestic  animals  it  has — horses,  2,234;  mules,  1,151;  goats, 
146;  cattle  7,314;  hogs,  16,089;  sheep,  2,846. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  uses,  $5,703.97;  pensions,  $1,213. 
27;  schools,  $10,418.92;  county,  $9,752.85. 

Population — white,  10,755;  colored,  10,335;  total,  21,090. 

GASTON. 

Gaston,  a  small  county,  lies  on  the  southern  border  of  the  State, 
and  is  bounded  eastv^'ard  by  the  Catawba  river,  whose  tributaries 
drain  its  entire  surface.  In  the  southern  section  are  several  small 
mountain  chains  and  spurs,  the  highest  of  which.  Kings  Mountain, 
reaches  an  altitude  of  nearly  1,700  feet  above  sea-level.  Most  of  the 
county  is  quite  broken,  and  partakes  of  the  character  of  the  Piedmont 
Plateau  region.  It  is  characterized  by  mixed  forests  of  oak  and  pine 
and  by  gray  and  yellow  gravelly  soils  of  moderate  fertility,  with  oc- 
casional areas  of  red  clay  soils.  In  the  northwestern  section  are  the 
largest  tracts  of  oak  and  hickory  forests,  with  their  corresponding  red 
clay  soils. 

There  are  many  valuable  beds  of  iron  ore  in  the  county,  and  the 
manufactures  of  cotton  and  mining  of  iron  have  attained  consider- 
able importance.  It  is  one  of  the  oldest  iron  manufacturing  regions 
of  the  South,  some  of  its  furnaces  dating  back  nearly  one  hundred 
years.  In  water  power  it  has  superior  advantages.  It  has  also  sev- 
eral noted  gold  mines.  The  waters  of  the  Catawba  river  provide 
great  water  power,  long  utilized  for  manufacturing  purposes;  and,  lying 
within  the  cotton  belt,  a  stimulus  has  been  given  to  the  manufacture 
of  cotton  goods  to  such  extent  as  to  have  created  independence  of  the 
rude  powers  of  nature.  Numerous  factories,  operated  by  steam,  have 
been  erected  at  Mount  Holly,  Gastonia,  Stanly  Creek,  Dallas,  Besse- 
mer City,  King's  Mountain,  I^owell  and  other  points,  a  large  coffin 
factory  at  Gastonia  being  among  the  number. 

Within  this  county  rises  the  eminence,  culminating  on  the  South 
Carolina  line  in  Cleveland  county,  of  King's  Mountain,  the  scene  of 
one  of  the  most  remarkable  and,  in  its  consequences,  one  of  the  most 
decisive  battles  of  the  Revolutionary  War. 

The  county  is  well  supplied  with  railroad  facilities.  No  home  in 
the  county  is  more  than  eight  miles  from  a  railroad.  The  Carolina 
Central  passes  through  it  from  southeast  to  northwest,  the  Chester 
and  Lenoir  Narrow  Guage  from  north  to  south,  and  the  Charlotte 
and  Atlanta  Air-Line  through  the  centre  in  an  undulating  line  from 
east  to  west.  This  has  given  every  section  access  to  market,  and  has 
stimulated  industrial  activity  in  marked  degree,  resulting  in  the 
building  and  prosperity  of  a  number  of  towns  and  villages.  Among 
these  are  Dallas,  the  county  seat,  with  about  500  population;  Gas- 
tonia, a  thrifty  manufacturing  town  of  2,313;  McAdensville  and 
Mount  Holly,  with  from  1,000  to  1,500  population;  and  with  Lowell, 
Belmont,  Stanly,  Bessemer  City,  and  part  of  King's  Mountain  fol- 
lowing close  on  the  heels  of  those  named  before. 


Description  op  Counties.  341 


The  staple  crops  of  the  county  are  cotton,  wheat  and  corn;  and 
tobacco  has  been  successfully  tested  as  a  profitable  addition.  Fruits, 
and  especially  the  grape,  succeed  well.  On  the  Catawba  bottoms  are 
some  fine  tomato  and  melon  farms.  Grasses  grow  well,  and  there  are 
two  or  three  excellent  dairy  farms  in  the  county. 

Gaston  county  has  223,250  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $1,826,609, 
and  705  town  lots,  valued  at  $330,507. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — horses,  1,482;  mules,  2,153; 
cattle,  6,122;  hogs,  8,685;  sheep,  2,618. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  uses,  $7,422.36;  pensions, 
$1,367.36;  schools,  $11,405.87;  county,  $9,699.32. 

Population — white,  12,926;  colored,  4,837;  total,  17,754. 

GATES. 

Gates  county  lies  between  the  Chowan  river  and  the  Dismal 
swamp,  of  which  it  includes  a  considerable  section.  The  body  of  the 
county  consists  of  level  piny  uplands,  with  a  sandj'-  loam  soil.  It  has 
a  narrow  strip  of  very  sandy  long-leaf  pine  land  near  the  Chowan 
river  and  also  in  the  southeastern  corner  of  the  county.  Along  the 
Chowan  river  and  its  tributaries  are  tracts  of  cj^press  swamp  from  one 
to  two  and  three  miles  wide.  Near  the  smaller  streams  are  narrow 
tracts  of  pine  and  oak  flats,  having  a  gray-clay  loam  soil.  Marl  is 
found  in  the  banks  of  the  Chowan  river  and  in  the  southern  end  of 
the  county. 

The  Blackwater  river  (lower  down  assuming  the  name  of  Chowan,) 
flowing  along  the  western  border,  a  deep,  tortuous  but  navigable 
stream,  used  by  steamboats  of  considerable  size  as  high  up  as  Frank- 
lin, Va.,  has  added  greatly  to  the  business,  convenience  and  profit  of 
the  inhabitants,  but  the  construction  of  a  railroad  across  the  county, 
forming  other  and  speedier  connections,  has  diminished  its  importance. 

The  Norfolk  and  Carolina  railroad  runs  through  the  western  part 
of  the  county. 

The  products  of  the  county  are  those  of  the  section — cotton,  corn, 
wheat,  peas,  potatoes,  etc.;  and  an  increased  inducement  to 
truck  farming  tends  to  give  new  character  to  the  agriculture  of  the 
county. 

There  is  large  attention  given  to  timber,  lumber,  shingles  and 
staves. 

Gatesville,  the  county  seat,  is  a  village  of  three  hundred  inhabi- 
tants. The  village  of  Sunbury,  ten  miles  east  of  Gatesville,  on  the 
Suffolk  and  Carolina  railroad,  is  a  thriving  little  place,  with  schools, 
churches,  and  lumber  and  grist  mills.  It  is  surrounded  by  good 
trucking  lands. 

Gates  county  contains  209,408  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $664,325, 
and  72  town  lots,  valued  at  $33,080. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are  1,501  horses;  599  mules;  778  goats; 
6,005  cattle;   16,248  hogs;  2,20osheep. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  use,  $2,403.70;  pensions,  $509.30; 
schools,  $4,611.68;  county,  $3,669.66. 

Population — white,  5,539;  colored,  4,713;  total,  10,252. 


342  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


GRAHAM. 

Graham  county,  lying  south  of  the  Tennessee  river,  is  bounded 
on  the  west  by  the  Smoky  mountains,  which  separate  it  from  the 
State  of  Tennessee.  The  river  of  the  same  name  separates  it  from 
the  county  of  Swain,  the  lyong  Ridge  from  the  county  of  Cherokee, 
and  a  high  and  almost  precipitous  line  of  mountains  from  the  county 
of  Macon.  It  is  largely  isolated  on  account  of  difficulty  of  access, 
and  therefore  retains,  in  large  degree,  its  primeval  wildness.  The 
surface  in  the  interior  of  the  county  is  intersected  with  numerous 
streams,  tending  to  a  union  with  the  Cheoah  river;  and  the  united 
waters,  a  large,  bold  stream,  flow  into  the  Tennessee.  Along  these 
waters  are  stretches  of  fertile  valley,  and  these  constitute  at  present 
almost  all  the  land  reduced  to  cultivation.  The  remainder  of  the 
county  is  still  clothed  with  forest,  composed  of  all  the  varieties  of 
trees  found  in  the  mountains,  and  of  the  greatest  size.  This  forest  is 
now  invaded  by  timber  cutters  from  the  Northwestern  States,  who 
avail  themselves  of  freshets  to  float  their  logs  down  the  smaller 
streams  into  the  Cheoah,  thence  into  the  Tennessee,  down  which  they 
float  through  the  mountain  rapids,  until  in  calmer  waters  below  they 
are  caught  and  detained  in  booms. 

Agricultural  industry  is  limited  chiefly  to  domestic  uses,  difficult 
access  to  market,  prevents  the  more  extensive  operations  for  which 
the  soil  is  so  well  fitted  by  reason  of  its  fertility.  The  soil  every- 
where is  fertile,  as  indicated  by  the  size  of  the  trees  and  density  of 
the  forests.  The  chief  remunerative  pursuit  of  the  inhabitants  is  in 
the  rearing  of  cattle  on  the  native  ranges,  from  which  they  are  driven 
in  the  fall,  to  be  transported  now  by  railroad  to  distant  markets.  The 
cattle  industry  is  capable  of  greater  expansion,  and  should  be  the 
the  means  of  a  very  greatly  increased  income  to  the  county.  The 
adaptibility  of  the  region  to  cattle  raising,  the  extent  and  cheapness 
of  pasturage,  make  it  a  suitable  place  for  intending  settlers  of  small 
means,  who  may  wish  to  grow  beef  for  market. 

Robbinsville,  a  small  village,  is  the  county  seat. 

Graham  county  has  322,582  acres  of  land,  valued  at  ^523,820,  and 
36  town  lots,  valued  at  $8,262. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are  493  horses;  191  mules;  3,326  cattle; 
3,481  hogs;  3,111  sheep. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  use,  1,348.71;  pensions,  $261.60; 
schools,  $1,964.46;  county,  $4,865.76. 

Population — white,  3,137;  colored,  137;  Indians,  161;  total,  3,435. 

GRANVILLE. 

Granville  county  is  north  of  the  central  portion  of  North  Caro- 
lina adjoining  the  Virginia  line.  It  is  drained  partly  toward  the 
north  by  the  tributaries  of  the  Roanoke  river,  partly  in  its  middle 
region  bj'  Tar  River  and  in  its  southern  portions  by  Neuse  river,  and 
is  about  500  feet  above  tide-water  level.  The  land  is  rolling  for  the 
most  part  and  varied  in  character  of  soil,  being  partly  gray 
and   partly   red,  possessing   much  fertility,  and  easy  of  cultivation. 


Description  of  Counties.  343 


Its  woodland  consists  of  oak,  hickory,  pine,  dogwood,  persimmon, 
&c.  The  soil  is  adapted  to  all  variety  of  crops — corn,  wheat,  oats, 
rye,  grasses,  clover,  bright  and  dark  tobacco,  fruits  and  vegetables. 
No  part  of  the  globe  is  healthier.  The  climate  is  bracing  and  health- 
giving,  the  water  abundant  and  of  best  quality.  While  the  lands  of 
Granville  county  produce  either  bright  or  dark  grades  of  tobacco, 
there  are  certain  sections  of  the  county  adapted  to  the  cultivation  of 
a  golden-colored  tobacco  of  extraordinary  quality,  greatly  in  demand, 
and  selling  sometimes  at  almost  fabulous  prices  on  home  markets,  at 
public  auction  on  the  warehouse  floor.  The  pTofits  to  the  farmer 
raising  this  noted  grade  of  bright  tobacco  are  very  remunerative.  The 
dark  tobacco,  though  heavier  in  weight,  seldom  proves  so  profitable. 
The  average  tobacco  crop  will  reach  5,000,000  pounds.  Granville  is 
quite  a  grain-growing  county;  its  aggregate  being  about  750,000 
bushels. 

Rich  copper  ores  are  found  in  northern  Granville,  gold  is  found 
in  various  sections,  and  immense  deposits  of  iron  are  only  awaiting 
development. 

Oxford,  the  county  seat,  has  about  2,500  inhabitants,  and  has 
ever  been  famous  for  its  splendid  institutions  of  learning,  of  which 
Oxford  Female  Seminary,  and  the  Horner  Classical  and  Military 
School  are  the  most  prominent.  Here  is  the  Orphan  Asylum  sup- 
ported jointly  by  the  Masonic  Fraternity  of  North  Carolina  and  the 
State,  at  which  over  200  orphan  girls  and  boys  are  clothed  and  fed 
and  taught  the  rudiments  of  an  education.  There  is  also  a  colored 
Orphan  Asylum  near  Oxford,  supported  by  an  appropriation  from  the 
State,  and  contributions  from  charitably  disposed  white  and  colored 
people.  Oxford  has  good  railroad  facilities,  being  connected  with  the 
Raleigh  and  Gaston  railroad  (Seaboard  Air  Line  system)  and  with 
Richmond  by  a  railroad  from  that  city,  via  Keysville,  Virginia,  to 
Durham,  North  Carolina,  under  the  Southern  system. 

Granville  county  contains  316,018  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $1,507,- 
514,  and  638  town  lots,  valued  at  $470, 159. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are  2,916  horses,  1,278  mules,  166 
goats,  6,240  cattle,  12,873  I'og's,  2,623  sheep. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  purposes,  $6,607.25;  pensions, 
$1,346.50;  schools  $11,165.58;  county,  $10,899.49. 

Population — white,  12,122;  colored,  12,362;  total,  24,484. 

GREENE. 

The  small  county  of  Greene,  adjoining  Pitt  on  the  south  and 
west,  and  drained  by  the  Moccasin  river,  (which  crosses  it  through 
the  middle)  and  its  numerous  tributaries,  has  the  same  general 
features,  both  as  to  its  natural  characteristics  and  as  to  the  develop- 
ment of  its  agriculture,  as  Edgecombe  county,  but  there  are  con- 
siderable areas  of  sandy  pine  lands  and  pine  flats  in  the  eastern  angle 
and  in  the  southern  section.  Its  streams  are  also,  for  the  most  part, 
bordered  by  narrow  fringes  of  alluvial  land  and  of  gum  and  cypress 
swamps.  It  has  also  along  the  courses  of  some  of  its  tributaries 
considerable  tracts  of  semi-swamp  land,  characterized  by  a  dark-gray 


344  North  Caroi^ina  and  its  Resources. 


loam  of  great  fertility,  notably  Wheat  swamp,  near  the  southern 
border.  lyike  the  preceding  counties,  Greene  finds  marl  and 
compost  essential  to  successful  cotton  farming.  There  are  still  consid- 
erable areas  of  pine  and  cypress  timber  in  the  county. 

Much  of  the  land  of  Greene,  including  nearly  all  of  its  uplands,  is 
suitable  to  cotton,  the  production  of  which  is  from  13,000  to  15,000 
bales  per  annum.  It  is  also  a  productive  corn  region,  as  would  be 
indicated  by  the  character  of  its  best  lands  reclaimed  from  swamps. 
Oats,  rice,  peas  and  potatoes  are  largely  cultivated,  the  soil  being 
admirably  adapted  to  them.  The  cultivation  of  hay,  an  industry 
that  had  not  a  beginning  here  seven  years  ago,  has  grown  into  consid- 
erable proportions,  more  than  3,000  acres  having  been  devoted  to  this 
crop  in  1895,  and  the  area  of  its  production  is  yearly  increasing. 
Stock  raising  is  receiving  intelligent  attention  among  the  farmers  and 
will  soon  become  a  leading  and  important  industry.  The  cultivation 
of  tobacco  is  conducted  with  great  success  here,  the  soil  and  climate 
both  inviting  to  the  production  of  the  highest  grades.  Their  superior 
adaptability  to  this  crop  had  not  become  known  before  the  last  census, 
which  reported  only  6,650  pounds  for  the  year  1889.  The  tobacco 
crop  of  1895  in  Greene  could  not  have  fallen  short  of  1,200,000  pounds, 
and  the  present  year  will  show  a  largely  increased  acreage,  and  there 
is  every  reason  to  believe  that  the  crop  of  1896  will  reach  at  least 
1,700,000  pounds,  possibly  more. 

Greene  county  contains  159,719  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $936,959, 
and  170  town  lots,  valued  at  $52,852. 

Domestic  animals — 924  horses;  1,137  mules;  158  goats;  1,440 
cattle;  13,158  hogs;  302  sheep. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  purposes,  $3,027.58;  pensions, 
$625.28;  schools,  $5,003.41;  county,  $7,168.64. 

Population — white,  5,281;  colored,  4,758;  total,  10,039. 


Guilford  county,  24x28  miles  square,  lies  near  the  middle  of  the 
Piedmont  Plateau  region,  and  its  higher  part  on  the  water-shed 
between  the  Cape  Fear  and  Dan  rivers,  which  crosses  its  territory 
nearly  midway  in  a  w^est  and  east  direction,  at  an  average  elevation 
of  between  eight  hundred  and  one  thousand  feet  above  tide.  Its 
forests  consist  mainly  of  oaks  of  various  species  and  hickory,  with  a 
subordinate  growth  of  pine  scattered  quite  uniformly  over  most  of  its 
area.  Along  its  river  and  creek  bottoms,  which  are  in  many  parts  of 
the  county  extensive,  and  in  the  southeastern  section  of  the  county, 
even  on  the  uplands,  are  heavy  forests  of  oak,  intermingled  with 
hickory,  walnut,  poplar,  maple,  etc.  These  lands  have  generally  a 
reddish  clay  loam  soil.  The  soil  of  the  higher  and  broad-backed 
ridges  and  swells  is  quite  uniformly  a  yellowish  sandy  and  gravelly 
loam,  underlaid  by  a  yellow  and  red  clay  subsoil.  The  cotton  zone 
touches  the  southern  border,  the  chief  crops  of  the  county  consisting 
of  grains,  grasses,  fruits  and  tobacco.  Cherries,  except  in  1893,  have 
not  failed  for  the  last  fifty  years.  Gold,  copper  and  iron  are  found  in 
many  places,  and  have  been  mined  on  a  considerable  scale, 


Description  op  Counties.  345 


The  county  of  Guilford  was  formed  in  1770,  from  Rowan  and 
Orange  counties,  and  was  named  in  honor  of  Lord  North,  who  was 
Karl  of  Guilford.  In  1808,  the  county  seat  was  removed  from  Mar- 
tinsville to  Greensboro,  (named  in  honor  of  General  Green,)  five 
miles  southeast  of  the  site  of  the  battle-ground.  This  battle-ground 
was  the  site  of  the  memorable  "battle  of  Guilford  Court  House," 
fought  on  the  15th  of  March,  1781,  between  the  American  forces, 
under  Gen.  Nathaniel  Green,  and  those  of  the  British,  under  Lord 
Cornwallis,  the  latter  nominally  victorious,  but  in  effect  defeated,  soon 
abandoning  the  field  and  rapidly  retreating  to  Wilmington,  thence  to 
Yorktown,  Va.,  where  they  eventually  surrendered  to  General 
Washington,  thus  closing  the  war  and  securing  American  Indepen- 
dence. A  monument  recently  erected  on  the  battle-ground  commemo- 
rates the  real  victory. 

In  regard  to  the  climate;  the  mean  temperature  is  50°,  the  ther- 
mometer rarely  climbs  above  92°  and  then  only  for  short  periods  of 
one  or  two  days  at  a  time;  ice  seldom  forms  to  a  greater  depth  than  one 
inch,  perhaps  once  each  two  years  it  is  thicker.  Roses  bloom  out  of 
doors  for  nine  months  in  the  year. 

Guilford  is  divided  into  eighteen  townships,  fifteen  of  which  are 
penetrated  by  its  in  miles  of  railroads,  radiating  out  from  the  centre, 
Greensboro,  which  contains  10,000  inhabitants.  At  this  point 
are  located  five  tobacco  factories,  twelve  large  leaf  houses  with  over 
200,000  feet  of  floor  space,  all  in  actual  use;  three  foundries  and  ma- 
chine shops,  three  cotton  factories  and  one  other  now  building;  two 
roller  mills,  the  Cone  Export  and  Finishing  mill,  five  large  whole- 
sale grocery  stores,  one  exclusive  wholesale  dry  goods  store,  twelve 
churches,  four  graded  schools  supported  nine  months  by  public  tax; 
State  Normal  and  Industrial  College  for  girls,  at  which  500  are  now 
in  attendance;  the  Greensboro  Female  College,  a  large  institution 
under  the  control  of  the  Methodists  of  the  State;  the  Agricultural  and 
Mechanical  College  for  the  colored  race,  also  Bennett  Seminary,  a 
high-grade  institution  of  learning  for  the  same  race.  Wetmore's  Busi- 
ness College  for  Whites  affords  cheap  business  training.  Besides 
these,  there  are  four  other  colleges  of  high  grade  in  the  county.  Guil- 
ford College,  six  miles  west  of  Greensboro,  co-educational,  has  been 
in  continuous  successful  operation  since  1838,  and  is  a  Quaker  College. 

Guilford  county  has  several  nurseries,  producing  hundreds  of 
thousands  of  fruit  trees  and  vines  which  are  sold  in  dozens  of  States; 
terra  cotta  works  which  supply  sewer  pipes  for  neighboring  cities  and 
railroads,  drain  pipes,  chimney  flues,  &c.,  on  a  large  scale;  two  spoke 
and  handle  factories,  twelve  furniture  factories  using  our  native 
woods  and  shipping  north,  east  and  south,  into  more  than  twenty 
states. 

The  population  is  about  one-fourth  colored,  and  the  standing  of 
the  colored  people  will  compare  favorably  with  that  of  any  other  sec- 
tion, no  race  trouble  ever  having  existed. 

The  two  center  townships  work  their  public  roads  by  taxation. 
One  of  them  levies  7)^  cents,  the  other  10  cents  on  the  $100  valua- 
tion. 


346  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


Over  5,000,000  pounds  of  tobacco  was  sold  on  the  Greensboro 
market  last  year.  It  is  a  profitable  industry  to  the  farmers,  many 
of  them  realizing  over  $100  per  acre  for  their  crops. 

Within  a  radius  of  twenty-five  miles  around  Greensboro  there  are 
thirty-five  cotton  factories,  and  others  are  being  built. 

Guilford  county  has  six  banks  carrying  large  deposits  and  all  of 
them  withstood  the  panic  of  1893. 

Our  usual  crops  are  one  to  five  tons  of  clover  hay,  twenty-five 
to  one  hundred  bushels  of  corn,  five  to  thirty-five  bushels  of  wheat, 
ten  to  sixty  bushels  of  oats  per  acre,  according  to  the  energy  and 
judgment  of  the  farmer. 

Agricultural  lands  sell  from  $5  to  $25  an  acre,  according  to  fer- 
tility and  proximity  to  market. 

Guilford  county  has  400,760  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $2,285,700 
and  2,264  town  lots,  valued  at  $2,033,952. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — horses,  4,021 ;  mules,  1,703;  cattle, 
10,707;  hogs,  12,842;  sheep,  4,682. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  uses,  $13,654.11;  pensions, 
$2,515.57;  schools,  $19,745.40;  county,  $18,847.05. 

Population — white,  19,820;  colored,  8,232;  total,  28,052. 

HALIFAX. 

Halifax  county  lies  between  the  Roanoke  river  on  the  north,  and 
Fishing  creek,  one  of  the  confluents  of  the  Tar  river,  on  the  south. 
The  eastern  and  larger  part  of  this  county  belongs  to  the  normal  type 
of  upland  piny  woods;  the  western  third  to  the  oak  uplands.  Long- 
leaf  and  short-leaf  pines  are  commonly  mingled  with  a  subordinate 
growth  of  oaks,  hickory,  dogwood,  etc.  The  surface  is  generally  level, 
or  a  little  rolling,  with  small,  often  abrupt,  hills  and  ravines  near  the 
streams.  The  soil  is  a  gray  sandy  loam,  with  a  yellow  to  brown  sub- 
soil. The  creeks  and  larger  streams  nearly  all  flow  southward  into  the 
Tar  river,  the  water-shed,  according  to  a  curious  topographical  law 
previously  referred  to,  lying  quite  close  to  the  south  bank  of  the  Roan- 
oke. The  western  section  belongs  in  large  part  to  the  oak  uplands 
region,  having  its  characteristic  gray,  yellow  and  reddish  clay  loam 
and  sandy  loam  soils  and  rolling  surface,  and  predominant  oak  forests, 
with  an  intermixture  of  short-leaf  pine.  The  crops  of  this  section 
are  largely  grains  (corn,  wheat,  etc.)  and  tobacco.  The  bulk  of  the 
cotton  product  is  made  in  the  eastern  section.  The  streams  in  the 
eastern  section  have  often  narrow  swampy  tracts  of  gum  and  cypress 
along  their  margins,  but  there  are  extensive  alluvial  areas  or  bottoms, 
on  the  larger  rivers,  especially  the  Roanoke,  whose  bottoms  are  of 
unsurpassed  fertility.  In  the  great  bend  of  Scotland  Neck  are  some 
of  the  finest  cotton  lands  of  the  State.  Marl  is  abundant  in  the 
middle  and  eastern  sections.  Halifax  is  one  of  the  most  prosperous 
cotton  counties,  and  produces  very  large  crops  of  grains  besides, 
chiefly  corn. 

lyike  others  of  the  eastern  counties,  Halifax  has  largely  increased 
the  culture  of  tobacco,  the  quality  being  of  the  best.  The  average 
annual  crop  of  tobacco  is  1,000,000  pounds. 


DESCRIPTION  OF  Counties.  347 


The  work  of  the  Roanoke  Navigation  Company,  embraced  chiefly 
in  a  canal  from  Gaston  to  Weldon,  overcoming  the  succession  of  rapids 
between  those  points  from  navigable  water  above  to  steamboat  navi- 
gation below,  is  now  owned  by  a  company  which  has  opened  the 
canal  so  as  to  avail  itself  of  water-power  for  manufacturing  purposes, 
eventually  to  obtain  such  power  as  will  be  unequaled  in  the  United 
States.  The  company  has  erected  a  large  grist  mill,  and  grinds  corn 
in  transit,  that  arrangement  having  been  effected  with  the  railroads. 
It  also  has  roller  mills. 

The  county  of  Halifax  has  every  needed  facility  attained  by 
railroads,  the  first  railroads  in  North  Carolina  extending  from  points 
in  this  county  to  the  then  chief  towns  in  this  State  and  the  leading 
commercial  towns  in  Virginia.  The  Raleigh  and  Gaston  road  was 
begun  in  1836,  and  completed  to  Raleigh,  and  also  connected,  by  a 
road  to  Belfield,  Va.,  with  the  line  built  in  1833  from  Blakely,  in 
Northampton  county,  to  Petersburg,  Va.;  and  the  Wilmington  and 
Weldon  road,  also  begun  in  1836,  and  completed  to  Wilmington,  was 
also  early  connected  v/ith  Portsmouth,  Va.,  by  the  Seaboard  and 
Roanoke,  extending  from  Weldon,  from  which  point  also  connection 
was  made  with  Petersburg  by  addition  to  the  road  built  to  Blakely. 
Subsequently,  a  road  (a  branch  of  the  Wilmington  and  Weldon  road) 
was  built  to  Scotland  Neck,  and  this  extended  to  Kinston,  thus 
making  two  nearly  parallel  lines  belonging  to  that  company,  and 
adding  very  greatly  to  the  prosperity  of  Halifax  county. 

Halifax,  the  county  seat  of  Halifax  county,  is  situated  on  the 
Roanoke  river,  a  town  of  great  historic  interest,  but  now  of  small 
importance.  It  has  a  population  of  450.  Scotland  Neck,  growing 
into  consequence  since  the  war,  has  1,250;  Enfield,  800;  Littleton, 
1,100;  Weldon,  1,800;  and  Ringwood,  Palmyra,  Tillery  andBrinkley- 
ville  are  small  but  interesting  villages. 

The  enterprising  town  of  Scotland  Neck  has  erected  a  com- 
modious knitting  factory,  now  in  successful  operation  for  several 
years,  giving  employment  to  a  number  of  operatives.  Another 
enterprise  of  very  great  importance  has  been  undertaken  and  brought 
to  successful  issue,  in  the  erection  of  two  large  brick  factories,  in  the 
new  town  of  Roanoke  Rapids,  situated  about  midway  between 
Gaston  and  Weldon,  on  the  Raleigh  and  Gaston  railroad.  The 
lower  terminus  of  the  Great  Falls  canal  is  100  feet  wide,  and  its 
embankment  on  the  riverside  are  heavily  rip-rapped.  This  canal  is 
a  grand  structure,  being  so  substantially  built  as  to  stand  the 
ravages  of  time,  and  bringing  as  it  does,  into  further  practical 
development,  the  immense  and  incalculable  water  powers  of  the  Falls 
of  Roanoke,  which  for  so  many  years  has  been  lying  dormant, 
begging  to  be  harnessed. 

This  rapidly  growing  town — Roanoke  Rapids — with  a  popula- 
tion now  of  900,  has  three  large  two  story  brick  stores,  two  beautiful 
churches  (Methodist  and  Baptist,)  commodious  school  houses  and  one 
hundred  two  story  dwelling  houses,  occupied,  and  one  hundred 
more  in  process  of  contruction. 


348  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


Halifax  county  has  414,443  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $2,104,295, 
and  961  town  lots,  valued  at  $593,395. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are  2,389  horses,  1,393  mules,  in 
goats,  9,608  cattle,  20,885  hogs,  2,974  sheep. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  use,  $8,337.59;  pensions, 
$1,670.46;  schools,  $14,734.74;  county,  $12,644.37. 

Population — white,  9,614;  colored,  19,924;  total,  28,908. 

HARNETT. 

Harnett  county  lies  on  both  sides  of  the  Cape  Fear  river,  on  the 
northwestern  margin  of  the  long-leaf  pine  belt.  Near  the  river,  and 
for  several  miles  on  both  sides,  its  surface  is  quite  hilly  in  its  upper 
portion,  and  here  the  soil  is  of  the  intermediate  character  described 
as  oak  and  pine  sandy  and  gravelly  hills.  On  the  tops  of  the  ridges 
and  river  hills,  these  soils  are  gray  sandy  loams,  but  on  the  slopes 
they  approach  the  character  of  clay  loams,  and  are  covered  mainly 
with  forests  of  oak  and  short-leaf  pine.  The  body  of  the  county 
belongs  strictly  to  the  long-leaf  pine  belt,  and  has  the  general  char- 
acteristics of  that  region.  The  western  section,  as  well  as  a  narrow 
belt  in  the  middle,  near  the  south  bank  of  the  river  and  some  portions 
of  the  south  side,  partakes  in  part  of  the  character  of  the  pine  bar- 
rens. Near  the  river,  and  along  its  principal  tributaries  from  the 
west,  and  in  the  angles  between  these  and  the  river,  are  wide  tracts 
of  gray,  clayey,  silty  lands  (oak  and  pine  flats)  and  occasional 
narrow  strips  of  gum  and  cypress  swamp.  Cotton  production  is  the 
principal  industry  of  the  county,  but  grain,  lumber  and  turpentine 
are  also  important  products.  Like  the  rest  of  this  vast  region  through- 
out the  State,  these  pine  lands  are  valuable  for  trucking  and  for  small 
fruit  culture. 

The  Cape  Fear  river  passes  through  the  county,  but  it  affords  no 
facilities  for  navigation,  except  in  giving  passage  during  high  water 
to  rafts  of  timber  and  lumber. 

The  branch  of  the  Wilmington  and  Weldon  railroad  from  Wil- 
son to  Florence,  S.  C,  by  way  of  Fayetteville,  passes  through  the 
county,  and  has  greatly  stimulated  industrial  activity,  several  thriv- 
ing and  busy  towns  having  been  built  along  the  line,  and  the  agricul- 
tural and  naval  store  interest  greatly  stimulated.  At  Poe's,  in  this 
county,  is  situated  the  Buie's  Creek  Academy,  with  a  well-known 
reputation  for  its  educational  work. 

lyillington  is  the  county  seat,  a  small  village.  Dunn,  on  the  line 
of  the  "Short-cut"  railroad,  is  the  largest  and  the  most  important 
business  point.  It  contains  650  inhabitants.  The  value  of  this  sec- 
tion for  the  production  of  bulbs  for  florists  use,  in  addition  to  its 
fruit  and  trucking  facilities  makes  it  of  peculiar  interest  to  the  home 
seeker. 

Harnett  county  contains  329,836  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $757, 
419,  and  479  town  lots,  valued  at  $77,383. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — horses,  723;  mules,  1,129;  goats, 
1,763;  cattle,  6,862;  hogs,  18,838;  sheep,  4,242. 


Description  of  Counties.  349 


Product  of  taxation — for  State  uses,  $2,654.81;  pensions,  $617.43; 
schools,  $5,642.33;  county,  $4,123.68. 

Population — white,  9,453;  colored,  4,274;  total,  13,700. 

HAYWOOD. 

This  large  and  beautiful  county  is  as  remarkable  for  the  long 
extent  of  its  mountain  ranges  and  the  height  of  its  numerous  peaks 
as  it  is  for  the  extent  of  its  valley  system  and  the  fertility  of  its  soil. 
The  Pisgah  range  skirts  it  partly  on  the  east,  culminating  in  the 
pyramidal  cone  of  Pisgah  mountain,  rising  to  the  height  of  5,750  feet. 
This  range,  interrupted  by  a  depression  of  several  miles  is  continued 
by  the  New  Found  range,  extended  to  the  Tennessee  line.  A  spur 
projects  northward  between  the  East  and  West  Forks  of  Pigeon  river, 
the  highest  peak  of  which  is  Cold  mountain,  rising  to  the  height  of 
6,063  feet.  Along  the  western  border  extends  the  massive  line  of  the 
Balsam  mountains,  in  this  county  attaining  their  greatest  elevation. 
Here  are  fifteen  peaks  of  more  than  6,000  feet  in  height.  The  West- 
ern North  Carolina  railroad,  by  the  Murphy  branch,  crosses  this  range 
at  Balsam  Gap,  at  an  elevation  of  3,357  feet. 

The  mountain  lands,  except  on  the  summits  of  the  higher  ranges, 
which  are  densely  wooded  with  the  balsam  fir,  are  very  fertile.  The 
sides  and  summits  of  the  lower  ridges,  when  cleared,  prove  adapted 
by  nature  to  the  production  of  grasses  in  great  luxuriance.  Herds 
grass,  timothy,  red-top  and  clover  take  readily  to  the  soil.  Kentucky 
blue  grass  has  been  a  natural  production  of  the  county  for  the  last  one 
hundred  years.  It  springs  up  spontaneously  and  makes  a  thick  sod 
in  a  short  time  under  proper  conditions.  All  the  grasses,  red  and 
crimson  clover,  do  well.  Red  clover  is  a  soiling  crop  and  is  much 
grown.  Stock  raising  is  an  important  feature  of  the  agriculture  of 
the  county.  Haywood  has  better  blooded  horses,  cattle  and  sheep, 
than  any  county  in  the  State. 

Fruits  grov/  to  great  perfection,  and  the  apples  of  Haywood  are 
famous  all  over  the  mountain  regions.  The  acreage  in  apples  has 
increased  ten  fold  in  the  last  few  years.  This  is  the  home  of  the 
apple. 

Tobacco,  in  portions  of  the  county,  has  become  an  important 
article  of  industry,  and  the  superiority  of  the  product  must  tend  to 
the  increase  of  culture,  the  bright  yellow  tobacco  proving  little 
inferior  to  that  of  Granville,  while  the  darker  grades  have  character- 
istics in  common  with  the  famous  Henry  county  tobacco  of  Virginia. 
The  northern  section  of  the  county  is  best  adapted  to  its  successful 
culture.  Wheat  is  one  of  the  main  crops,  and  so  successfully 
is  it  produced,  that  two  large  roller  mills  have  been  built  to  handle 
part  of  the  product.     Corn  is  the  leading  grain  crop. 

In  mineral  wealth  there  has  been  no  development,  except  in 
mica,  which  has  been  worked  to  considerable  extent  at  Micadale,  near 
Waynesville.  Gold,  copper,  iron,  lead,  asbestos  and  other  minerals 
are  known  to  exist,  but  no  mines  are  in  operation  just  now. 


350  North  Caroi<ina  and  its  Resources. 


The  mountains  are  clothed  to  their  summits  with  forests  of  a 
great  range  of  species.  On  the  lower  slopes  and  in  the  rich  coves, 
besides  the  usual  characteristic  oaks,  hickories,  cucumbers,  poplar, 
chestnut,  etc.,  are  found  in  abundance  walnut,  black  locust,  cherry 
and  ash,  and  a  little  higher  sugar  maple,  linden,  black  birch  and 
beech,  and  on  the  highest  ranges  two  species  of  fir.  Since  the  advent 
of  the  railroad,  lumbering  is  rapidly  becoming  an  important 
industry. 

Waynesville  is  the  county  seat,  with  a  population  of  over  five 
hundred.  It  is  finely  situated  in  the  valley  of  Richland  creek,  over- 
topped by  some  of  the  grandest  summits  of  the  Balsam  mountains. 
It  is  a  noted  summer  resort,  and  in  the  vicinity  are  the  White  Sul- 
phur Springs,  equipped  with  a  commodious  hotel  surrounded  with 
ample  grounds.  The  Murphy  branch  of  the  Western  North  Caro- 
lina railroad  passes  through  Waynesville. 

Clyde,  a  thriving  village,  and  Pigeon  river  town,  both  on  the 
railroad  are  growing  towns. 

Haywood  county  has  294,041  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $1,071,676, 
417  town  lots,  valued  at  $213,921. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are  2,303  horses,  S03  mules,  9,702  cat- 
tle, 8,729  hogs,  6,384  sheep. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  use,  $3,879.18;  pensions,  $790.80; 
schools,  $5,759.71;  county,  $10,687.03. 

Population — white,  12,829,  colored,  517;  total,  13,346. 

HENDERSON. 

Henderson  county  is  a  continuation  southward  of  the  French 
Broad  valley  described  in  Buncombe  County,  and  its  topographical 
features  are  very  similar,  except  that  there  are  broader  areas  of  com- 
paratively level  and  undulating  lands,  the  soils  being  predominantly 
light  gray  gravelly  loams,  and  its  forests  being  mixed  growths  of 
oak  and  pine,  with  hemlock  and  chestnut.  Near  the  water-courses 
in  the  mountain  coves  are  found  walnut,  cherry,  maple  and  occasion- 
ally white  pine. 

This  county  is  divided  by  the  Blue  Ridge  into  two  unequal  parts, 
a  considerable  portion  of  it  lying  on  the  south,  on  the  South  Carolina 
line,  and  on  the  east  bounded  by  Polk  County.  The  remainder,  is 
bordered  on  the  east  and  south  by  the  same  range,  and  intersected  at 
wide  intervals  by  low  ranges  of  mountains  extending  toward  the 
north-west,  it  is  closed  in  by  the  Pisgah  range,  the  peak  of  that  name 
being  the  common  '^entre  for  the  county  lines  of  Henderson,  Transyl- 
vania, Buncombe  and  Haj'wood. 

The  county  is  intersected  by  numerous  streams.  Green  river  at 
the  foot  of  the  Blue  Ridge,  flows  eastward  between  that  range  and  the 
Saluda  mountains,  and  is  an  affluent  of  the  Broad  river  flowing  south 
into  South  Carolina.  The  French  Broad  flows  through  the  north- 
western part  of  the  county,  and,  receiving  the  waters  of  Mills  river, 
Ochlawaha  and  other  considerable  streams,  becomes  a  bold,  broad 


Description  of   Counties.  351 


stream,  which  by  appropriations  from  the  Government, has  been  made 
navigable  for  small  steamboats. 

A  remarkable  feature  of  this  county  is  the  apparent  great  depres- 
sion of  its  surface,  and  the  width  of  the  valleys  along  the  streams, 
assuming,  as  on  the  Ochlav/aha,  the  character  of  wide  swamps.  The 
whole  interior  of  the  county  presents  the  aspect  of  one  valley,  into 
which  project,  like  elongated  promontories,  small  ranges  of  mount- 
ains, l/ooking  northwest  from  Henderson ville,  the  eye  sweeps  over 
a  level  expanse  of  twenty  miles,  closed  at  that  distance  by  the  Pisgah 
range.  This  depression,  however,  is  appparent  rather  than  real,  the 
most  depressed  portions  being  above  the  mean  level  of  the  Blue  Ridge 
plateau,  2,250  feet,  and  presenting  the  appearance  of  a  broad  uplifted 
valley. 

The  soil  of  this  county  is  good,  though  not  so  fertile  as  some 
other  mountain  counties,  with  the  exception  of  the  valleys,  which 
are  productive  in  grains  and  grass.  Fruits  are  abundant  and 
excellent.  The  mineral  wealth  of  the  county  is  great,  but  largely 
undeveloped.  lyimestone  of  excellent  quality  for  the  kiln  is  found 
on  the  west  side  of  the  French  Broad,  and  is  largely  burned  for  the 
Asheville  market. 

The  agricultural  industry  of  the  county  is  quite  largely  directed 
to  the  cultivation  of  cabbage  and  other  vegetables  for  the  southern 
market  and  much  attention  is  given  to  the  canning  of  fruits  and 
vegetables.  Among  the  minerals  found  in  this  county  is  zircon, 
found  in  large  deposits  in  the  valley  of  Green  river,  and  exhumed  in 
large  quantities  to  be  exported  to  Germany.  This  perhaps,  is  the 
largest  deposit  of  this  mineral  in  the  United  States. 

Hendersonville,  the  county  seat,  is  credited  with  a  population  of 
1,600.  This  town  is  a  noted  summer  resort  for  the  citizens  of 
South  Carolina  and  other  southern  States.  It  is  reached  by  railroad, 
the  Asheville  and  Spartanburg  line  passing  through  it.  There  is  a 
new  railroad  from  Hendersonville  to  Brevard,  up  the  French  Broad 
valley.  Two  miles  south  of  Hendersonville  is  Flat  Rock,  originally 
a  summer  settlement  of  wealthy  South  Carolinians,  who  surrounded 
themselves  with  ample  ornamental  grounds  and  erected  handsome 
dwellings.  It  is  also  a  general  summer  resort,  a  spacious  hotel  being 
always  open. 

Henderson  county  has  260,699  acres  of  land,  valued  at 
$1,244,241;  and  2,370  town  lots,  valued  at  $337,025. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — horses  1,406;  mules,  674;  cattle 
6,956;  hogs,  7,250;  sheep,  4,754. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  uses  $4,556.86;  pensions,  $878,50; 
schools,  $6,861.49;  county,  $15,967.13. 

Population — white,  11,211;  colored,  1,378;  total,  12,589. 

HERTFORD. 

Hertford  county  lies  on  the  northern  border  of  the  State,  and  is 
bounded  eastward  by  the  Chowan  river.  The  soils  are,  for  the  most 
part,  of  the  general  region  of  upland  piny  woods  lands,  but  near  the 
water-courses  there  are  considerable  tracts  of  oak  and  pine  flats  and 


352  North  Caroi^ina  and  its  Rksourcejs. 


alluvial  land.  Along  the  margin  of  the  Chowan  and  some  of  the  other 
water-courses  are  fringes  of  gum  and  cypress  swamp.  Marl  in  abun- 
dance underlies  the  surface.  Besides  the  culture  of  cotton  and  corn, 
there  are  the  fish,  lumber  and  naval  stores  industries.  Cotton,  lumber, 
and  other  products  are  shipped  by  steamer  and  rail  to  Norfolk. 

Until  recently  this  county  has  been  without  railroad  facilities, 
depending  for  transportation  on  the  Meherrin  and  Chowan  rivers, 
which  flow  through  it  or  along  its  borders.  Now,  the  Norfolk  and 
Carolina  railroad,  extending  southward  to  Tarboro,  and  a  branch 
road  giving  connection  with  Murfreesboro,  have  been  provided. 

This  county  is  in  the  trucking  region,  and  this  business  is 
engaging  the  attention  of  the  farmers;  peanuts  also  are  grown  to  some 
extent.     There  is  an  abundance  of  native  pasturage. 

Murfreesboro  is  the  most  populous  town  in  the  county,  with  a 
population  of  700,  and  is  the  seat  of  a  flourishing  female  college. 

Winton,  the  county  seat,  has  a  population  of  about  600;  has  two 
Steam  saw  mills,  one  knitting  factory  and  a  number  of  fine  schools. 

Hertford  county  has  207,102  acres  of  land,  valued  at  ^1,020,000; 
and  472  town  lots,  valued  at  $209,210. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — horses  1,636;  mules,  734;  cattle, 
5,079;  hogs,  17,174;  sheep,  2,650;  goats,  475. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  uses,  $4,131.08;  pensions  $831.85; 
schools,  $6,869.90;  county,  $5,673.74. 

Population — white,  5,906;  colored,  7,945;  total,  13,851. 

HYDE. 

Hyde  county  is  enveloped  by  sounds  and  great  bay-like  rivers, 
and  its  middle  portion  is  occupied  by  a  large  lake,  Mattamuskeet, 
twenty  miles  in  length  and  six  miles  wide  with  two  other  lakes  in  its 
northern  portion.  Two-thirds  of  its  land-surface  is  occupied  by  the 
great  Alligator  swamp.  A  fringe  of  from  one  to  two  miles  in  width 
around  the  central  lake  is  the  highest  portion  of  the  county,  and  is 
from  six  to  ten  feet  above  tide.  It  was  originally  covered  with  a 
heavy  swamp  growth  of  cypress,  gum  (tupelo),  maple,  ash,  etc. 
These  lands  have  been  cultivated  for  a  century,  and  still  produce  fifty 
bushels  of  corn  to  the  acre,  without  manure  or  rotation.  This  ridge 
slopes  off  in  every  direction  from  the  lake — eastward  into  a  tract  of 
oak  and  pine  flats  which  extends  to  the  sound.  The  southwestern 
portion  of  the  county  is  within  the  projecting  arms  of  Pungo  river, 
and  other  bays  from  Pamlico  sound,  and  may  also  be  described  as  oak 
and  pine  flats,  with  a  soil  which,  in  general  terms,  is  a  gray  silty 
loam.  The  northern  portion  of  this  county,  throughout  its  whole 
extent  from  east  to  west,  is  a  low-lying  savannah  or  peaty  cypress  and 
juniper  swamp,  resembling  the  Great  Dismal,  called  Alligator  swamp. 
The  productions  of  this  county  are  chiefly  corn,  wheat  and  cotton, 
sweet  and  Irish  potatoes,  to  which  has  been  added  rice.  Lumbering 
and  fishing  complete  the  list  of  its  industries. 

The  exhaustless  fertility  of  the  lands  of  Hyde,  affected  neither 
by  heat  nor  drought,  have  made  them  an  assured  granary.     A  large 


Description  of  Counties.  353 


number  of  coasting  vessels  make  numerous  trips  to  Charleston,  Wil- 
mington, New  Bern  and  other  markets.  In  the  damp  soils  on  the 
borders  of  Mattamuskeet  I^ake  originated  one  of  the  best  flavored 
and  possibly  the  best  keeping  winter  apple  known — Mattamuskeet — 
perfecting  best  in    its   original  home,  but  doing  well  elsewhere. 

The  remarkable  character  of  the  soil  of  Hyde  county,  its  fertility 
and  its  unchangable  qualities,  led  Professor  Emmons,  a  former  State 
Geologist,  to  the  following  observations: 

"  The  character  of  the  Hyde  county  soil  has  never  been  under- 
stood. The  cause  of  its  fertility  has  never  been  explained,  and  many 
persons  who  are  good  judges  of  land  have  over-rated  the  value  of  swamp 
lands  in  consequence  of  the  close  external  resemblance  they  have  borne 
to  those  of  Hyde.  Analysis,  however,  will,  in  every  case,  detect 
the  difference  in  the  common  swamp  lands  and  those  of  Hyde.  The 
color  is  black  or  dark  brown,  and  the  whole  mass  near  the  surface 
looks  as  if  it  was  composed  entirely  of  vegetable  matter.  We  see  no 
particles  of  sand  or  soil  in  it.  On  the  sides  and  bottoms  of  the 
ditches,  a  light  gray  or  ashy  soil  is  discernable;  indeed,  it  is  regarded 
as  ashes,  and  is  so  called,  and  is  supposed  to  have  been  formed  b}^  the 
combustion  of  ancient  beds  of  vegetable  matter.  The  cultivated 
lands  of  Hyde  are  not  chaffy — that  is,  when  dry,  like  tinder,  liable 
to  take  fire  from  a  spark  originated  by  a  gun-wad.  There  are,  it  is 
true,  tracts  lying  in  connection  with  them  of  this  character,  which 
are  quite  limited,  but  their  occurrence  does  not  affect  this  general 
characteristic." 

Swan  Quarter  is  the  county  seat,  with  a  population  of  several 
hundred. 

Hyde  county  has  245,207  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $551,082,  and 
114  town  lots,  valued  at  $20,132. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — 1,535  horses;  211  mules;  116  goats; 
6,912  cattle;  9,488  hogs;  2,438  sheep. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  uses,  $2,292.59;  pensions,  $495.90; 
schools,  $4,168.36;  county,  $6,490.18. 

Population — white,  4,962;  colored,  3,941;  total,  8,903. 

IREDELL. 

Iredell  is  a  county  of  rolling  uplands,  and  lies  on  the  waters  of 
the  Catawba  on  the  west, and  of  the  Yadkin  on  the  east,  being  mainly 
drained  by  the  latter.  It  is  divided  in  a  north-westerly  and  south- 
easterly direction  by  the  course  of  the  tributary  streams,  into  broad 
flattish,  elevated  zones,  the  summits  of  which  have  generally  a  gray 
and  yellow  loam  soil,  with  mixed  oak  and  pine  forests  and  occasional 
tracts  of  red-clay  oak-covered  soils,  while  along  the  streams,  which 
abound  in  alluvial  bottoms,  forests  of  oak,  walnut,  hickory,  etc.,  pre- 
dominate. One  of  these  high  swells  or  divides  lies  along  and  quite 
close  to  the  course  of  the  Catawba  river,  and  has  an  elevation  of  900 
feet  in  its  southern  portion,  rising  to  1,000  feet  and  upward  at  its 
northern  limit.  The  average  elevation  of  the  county  is  but  little 
below  1,000  feet  above  sea-level. 

23 


354  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


The  cotton  crop  has  increased  tenfold  since  1870,  and  is  confined 
mainly  to  the  southern  half,  this  form  of  agriculture  having  only 
recently  passed  beyond  the  middle  of  the  county.  The  northern  sec- 
tion produces  tobacco  as  its  chief  market  crop,  but  corn  and  the 
small  grains  occupy  the  larger  portion  of  the  tilled  surface  of  the 
county,  and  aggregate  more  than  800,000  bushels.  The  grasses  and 
clover  do  well  also,  but  it  is  essentially  a  grain  and  grass  region. 
Fruits  of  remarkable  flavor  abound. 

The  tobacco  crop  is  an  important  one,  reaching  an  annual 
average  of  2,000,000  pounds  and  over.  At  Statesville  and  Mooresville 
and  other  points  in  the  county  are  large  tobacco  factories,  and  at  the 
former  place  sales  warehouses  which  give  it  some  prestige  as  a 
tobacco  market. 

Iredell  county  has  good  railroad  facilities,  the  Western  North 
Carolina  railroad  passing  through  it,  and  the  Atlantic,  Tennessee  and 
Ohio  railroad  connecting  it  with  Charlotte  on  the  south,  and  another 
branch  line  of  twenty-five  miles  with  Taylors ville  on  the  north. 
With  its  varieties  of  soil  and  of  products,  its  water-power  and  con- 
veniences for  manufacture,  the  whole  county  is  undergoing  rapid  de- 
velopment and  improvement. 

Statesville,  the  county  seat,  on  the  Western  North  Carolina  rail- 
road, has  a  population  of  3,000.  It  has  a  United  States  public  build- 
ing, a  female  college,  manufactories  of  various  kinds,  including  a 
cotton  mill,  and  is  a  prosperous  town. 

Alooresville,  on  the  A.  T.  &  O.  railroad,  is  a  thrifty  village;  has 
a  cotton  mill  and  other  industries.  Near  it  are  quarries  affording 
monumental  granite  of  great  beauty.  The  stone  is  also  used  for  other 
purposes. 

Turnersburg  has  a  cotton  mill  and  there  are  other  villages  in 
the  county,  all  in  prosperous  condition. 

Iredell  county  has  344,003  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $1,746,074, 
and  1.044  town  lots,  valued  at  $736,041. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — 3,066  horses;  2,530  mules;  181 
goats;  8,491  cattle;  12,483  hogs;  and  3,533  sheep. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  use,  $7',944. 94;  pensions,  $1,584.70; 
schools,  $12,909.89;  count}^  $14,175.97. 

Population — white,  19,516;  colored,  5,946;  total,  25,462. 

JACKSON. 

Ja-ckson  county  extends  from  South  Carolina  on  the  south  nearly 
across  the  State,  being  separated  by  the  narrow  county  of  Swain  from 
the  State  of  Ten-nessee.  The  general  form  is  one  broad  valley,  lying 
between  the  Balsam  mountains  on  the  east  and  the  Cowee  mountains 
on  the  west.  But  the  term  valley  would  convey  an  erroneous  idea, 
since  the  space  between  these  two  dominant  ranges  is  filled  with 
numerous  cross  chains,  making  the  mountain  character  predominant, 
while  the  valleys  are  exceptional. 

lyittle  encroachment  has  yet  been  made  on  the  massive  forests 
which  clothe  the  hills  and  mountains.  Nowhere  in  the  mountain 
country  is  the  timber  more  varied  in  kind  or  more  majestic  in  size. 


CHEROKEES-  NORTH    CAROLINA    INDIAN    RESERVATION. 


Description  op  Counties.  355 


With  the  exception  of  the  high  plateau  at  the  south  end  of  the 
county,  where  Cashier's  valley  is  situated,  and  where  the  soil  is  light 
and  somewhat  thin,  the  soil  is  of  great  fertility,  remarkable  for  the 
high  percentage  of  productive  arable  lands.  The  lands  of  the  entire 
southern  portion  of  the  county  are  adapted  to  the  growth  of  cabbage 
and  potatoes  for  winter  use,  and  of  the  finest  quality.  There  is  no 
better  section  anywhere  for  grass,  offering,  therefore,  exceptional 
advantages  for  sheep  and  cattle  raising. 

The  usual  crops  and  fruits  of  the  mountain  section  thrive  lux- 
uriantly. Tobacco  is  found  to  be  well  adapted  to  both  soil  and  clim- 
ate, and  its  culture  is  increasing. 

This  county  is  very  rich  in  minerals,  though  there  has  been  little 
development  of  quantity  or  value.  Several  copper  veins  of  ascertained 
richness  have  been  opened.  Chromic  iron  is  found  in  large  quanti- 
ties near  Webster.  Nickel  ores  (genthite),  are  found  in  the  same 
locality.  Other  ores  of  iron  are  abundant.  Mica,  asbestos  and  cor- 
undum are  also  abundant. 

In  the  northern  part  of  the  county,  along  the  Tuckaseege  river 
and  along  the  waters  of  Soco  creek,  is  an  Indian  reservation  inhabited 
by  families  of  Cherokees,  who  are  also  distributed  through  the  adja- 
cent counties  of  Swain  and  Graham.  The  whole  number  in  these 
counties  is  nearly  1,500.  They  have  adopted  the  habits  of  the  white 
men,  and  are  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits.  They  have  their 
schools  and  churches,  and  are  under  the  guardianship  of  their  chief, 
James  Ely  the,  an  educated  and  intelligent  native. 

The  county  is  now  intersected  by  the  Western  North  Carolina 
branch  of  the  Southern  railway  system,  and  from  Sylva,  a  station  on 
that  road,  a  branch  line  has  been  constructed  to  Webster,  the  county 
seat. 

Among  the  mineral  substances  applied  to  use  is  kaolin,  found  in 
great  abundance  near  the  valleys  of  Scott's  and  Savannah  creeks,  and 
prepared  for  the  use  of  potteries  and  porcelain  works  at  Sylva  and 
Dillsboro.     The  manufactured  product  is  very  beautiful. 

Cattle  raising  in  the  mountain  ranges  engages  the  industry  of  the 
inhabitants,  and  large  numbers  of  animals  are  annually  driven  to 
market. 

Webster,  the  countj'-  seat,  has  a  population  of  250.  Sylva  and 
Dillsboro  are  flourishing  villages  on  the  line  of  railroad. 

Jackson  county  has  350,664  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $855,642;  and 
271  town  lots,  valued  at  $57,880. 

Of  domestic  animals  it  has — horses,  1,690;  mules,  396;  cattle, 
7,448;  hogs,  7,520;  sheep,  7,489. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  uses,  $2,629.62;  pensions,  $539.66; 
schools,  $4,370.37;  county,  $7,890.77. 

Population — white,  8,630;  colored,  528;  Indians,  375;  total, 
9,512. 

JOHNSTON. 

Johnston  county  lies  on  the  upper  waters  of  the  Neuse  river  and 
its  larger  tributaries,  which  traverse  it  in  a  southeast  direction,  and 
consists,  for  the  most  part,  of  level  and  gently  rolling  piny  uplands, 


356  North  Caroi,ina  and  its  Resources. 


with  a  few  small  bodies  of  more  sandy  and  barren  pine  lands.  It  lies 
on  the  western  margin  of  the  long-leaf  pine  region,  its  southeastern 
half  being  characterized  in  its  general  features  by  the  same  soils  and 
growth  as  the  average  of  that  belt,  while  along  the  northwestern  mar- 
gin the  lands  are  more  hilly  and  the  piny  belts  are  alternated  along 
the  streams  and  more  hilly  portions  with  oak  and  pine  forests  and 
gravelly  loam  soils.  There  are  tracts  of  quite  sandy  soil  in  the 
eastern  section,  while  in  the  middle  section  are  large  bodies  of  pine 
flats. 

Johnston  is  one  of  the  most  prosperous  counties, as,  besides  its  large 
cotton  crop,  the  grain  product  reaches  nearly  500,000  bushels,  and  its 
crop  of  potatoes  exceeds  200,000  bushels.  Cotton  is  the  principal 
crop  of  the  county,  and  prospers  in  almost  all  parts,  especially  on 
the  broad  belts  of  bottom  lands  lying  along  the  Neuse  river,  Swift 
creek  and  other  streams. 

Until  recently  cotton  has  been  the  only  money  crop,  but  lately  the 
people  have  learned  that  the  soil  is  splendidly  adapted  to  the 
growth  of  the  brightest  tobacco,  and  its  culture  is  spreading  rapidly. 
Hundreds  of  acres  are  being  set  this  year  in  tobacco;  last  year  many 
who  had  never  grown  it  before  realized  $100  an  acre  from  its  cultivation. 

The  growing  of  truck  for  northern  markets  is  an  increasing  and 
profitable  industry  along  the  railroads.  Along  the  streams  are  large 
quantities  of  hard  wood  and  furniture  timbers,  which  are  in  great 
demand;  much  ash,  oak,  poplar,  maple  and  gum  is  being  shipped  to 
furniture  and  veneer  works. 

The  county  is  traversed  from  east  to  west  by  the  North  Carolina 
railroad,  from  north  to  south  by  the  "  Short-cut  "  line  from  Wilson  to 
Florence,  S.  C,  and  is  penetrated  by  the  Midland  railroad,  extending 
from  Goldsboro  to  Smithfield,  a  distance  of  twenty-five  miles.  The 
navigation  of  the  Neuse  river  has  been  opened  as  far  as  Smithfield 
for  steamboats,  but  is  not  kept  regularly  open,  and  the  markets  are 
sought  through  the  railroads. 

Smithfield  is  the  county  seat,  and  has  a  population  of  550. 
Clayton  has  a  population  of  478,  Selma  of  527,  Boon  Hill  of  243,  and 
Pine  Level  of  264.  All  those  last  mentioned  are  on  the  North 
Carolina  railroad.  Kenly  has  a  population  of  245;  Four  Oaks,  260; 
Benson,  257.  These  villages  are  on  the  Short-cut.  Wilson's  Mills, 
Bagley  and  Jerome  are  stations  at  which  large  saw  mills  are  estab- 
lished, but  they  are  not  incorporated  towns. 

Johnston  county  has  486,546  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $1,825,909; 
and  971  town  lots,  valued  at  $223,231. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — horses, 1,587;  mules,  2,261;  goats, 
3,487;  cattle,  11,338;  hogs,  40,805;  sheep,  7,381. 

Product  of  taxation— for  State  uses,  $6,923.20;  pensions, 
$1,485.71;  schools,  $13,486.97;  county,  $io,535-94- 

Population— white,  19,917;  colored,  7,322;  total,  27,239. 

JONES. 

This  county  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  Craven,  on  the 
south  by  Onslow,  on  the  east  by  Carteret,  and  on  the  west  by  Duplin. 


Description  of  Counties.  357 


It  has  two  railroads,  the  Atlantic  and  North  Carolina  and  the  Wil- 
mington, New  Bern  and  Norfolk,  and  one  navigable  river  running 
through  it.  It  also  has  rich  beds  of  marl  and  phosphates,  with  a 
good  fertile  soil  that  yields  abundantly  all  the  crops  that  are  grown 
anywhere  this  side  the  Mississippi  river,  and  the  people  are  generally 
happy  and  contented. 

A  great  tract  of  swamp  land  lies  between  the  Neuse  and  the 
White  Oak  rivers,  a  large,  or  the  largest  portion  being  in  Jones 
county,  and  is  crowned  with  a  number  of  small  lakes,  one  being 
quite  large,  covering  an  area  of  five  miles  or  more,  and  the  others  are 
a  little  less  in  size.  This  region  is  covered  with  an  inestimable 
amount  of  the  finest  timber  of  all  kinds  known  in  this  section  of  the 
State.  And  there  is  still  another  important  feature  to  be  considered. 
The  pocoson  that  lies  between  these  two  rivers  runs  northwest  and 
southeast  to  very  near  the  Duplin  line  for  twenty-five  miles,  with 
an  average  width  of  about  eight  miles  of  as  rich  land  as  the  Mississ- 
ippi Valley,  and  around  the  lakes  covered  with  a  growth  of  the 
finest  quality  of  timbers  known  here.  There  is  still  another  pocoson 
known  as  the  Dover  pocoson,  lying  between  the  counties  of  Jones 
and  Craven  on  the  Atlantic  and  North  Carolina  railroad,  which 
is  very  fertile  and  heavily  timbered. 

The  soils  of  this  county  are  of  two  kinds — the  one  a  light 
loamy  soil,  more  or  less  mixed  with  sand,  with  a  subsoil  of  gray  clay, 
easy  of  cultivation,  returning  good  crops  of  cotton  and  grain,  and  an 
excellent  soil  for  truck  farming.  It  also  produces  excellent  bright 
tobacco.  The  other  is  a  heavy  loam,  underlaid  with  a  substratum  of 
stiff  red  clay,  producing  abundantly  cotton,  grains  or  tobacco.  The 
fertility  is  largely  due  to  the  presence  in  the  soil  of  decomposed  shells 
or  carbonate  of  lime.  This  material  is  also  found  undecomposed,  in 
solid  masses,  often  outcropping  above  the  soil  and  providing  an  easily 
accessible  building  material  or  material  for  burning  into  lime. 

Trenton  is  the  county   seat,  and  has  a  population   of  over  400. 

Jones  county  has  220,754  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $729,754,  and 
630  town  lots,  valued  at  $54,049. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — 630  horses;  725  mules;  503  goats; 
4,102  cattle;  11,304  hogs,  and  3,028  sheep. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  purposes,  $2,239.69:  pensions, 
$455.66;  schools,  $3,809.90;  county,  $5,600.32. 

Population — white,  3,885;  colored,  3,518;  total,  7,403. 

LENOIR. 

I^enoir  county  lies  on  the  lower  course  of  the  Neuse,  east  of 
Wayne.  The  northern  half  consists  of  level  piny  uplands  of  the  same 
general  character  as  those  of  the  counties  adjoining  it  on  the  north, 
while  in  its  western  and  northern  parts  there  are  v/ide  tracts  of  level 
semi-swamp  lands,  which  are  characterized  by  a  dark  fine  loam  of 
great  fertility.  The  southern  half  of  the  county,  south  of  the  Neuse, 
is  characterized  generally  by  a  more  sandy  soil.  The  water  courses 
in  this  half  of  the  county  are  also  bordered  by  cypress  and  gum 
swamps,  and,  to  some  extent,  by  oak   and   pine  flats.     Shell  marl 


358  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


(blue),  chalk  marl  and  green  sand  are  all  found  in  this  county — one 
or  the  other  in  almost  every  neighborhood.  The  face  of  the  coun- 
try may  be  described  as  level,  though  there  are  some  portions  where 
the  land  is  rolling. 

On  the  north  side  of  the  Neuse  there  is  a  section  of  country  ex- 
tending from  Wayne  on  the  west  to  Falling  Creek  on  the  east,  a 
distance  of  about  ten  miles,  and  known  as  Buckleberry  pocoson. 
From  the  river  to  the  foot  of  the  hills  where  the  piny-woods  region 
begins  is  from  four  to  five  miles  wide.  This  section  embraces  what 
may  be  properly  called  the  Valley  of  the  Neuse,  and  is  sufficiently 
elevated  above  high  water  to  be  free  from  overflow.  The  soil  is  of 
a  brown  or  snuff  color,  and  is  very  fertile;  producing  from  300  to 
500  pounds  of  lint  cotton  to  the  acre,  and  averaging  thirty  to  forty 
bushels  of  corn  per  acre;  and  also  makes  fair  crops  of  wheat.  The 
surface  soil  is  rich  in  humus  and  the  clay  sub-soil  only  five  to  eight 
inches  from  the  surface.  This  is  an  ideal  condition  and  is  capable  of 
the  highest  improvement. 

East  of  this  section,  on  the  same  side  of  the  river,  is  a  region 
known  as  the  "Neck,"  being  situated  between  Moccasin  and  Neuse 
rivers;  it  is  very  fertile,  and  extends  from  Falling  creek  on  the  west  to 
Pitt  county  on  the  east — a  distance  of  eighteen  or  twenty  miles.  This 
is  the  finest  portion  of  the  county.  North  of  this  valley  is  the  piny- 
woods  region,  which  extends  eight  or  ten  miles  to  Greene  county. 
This  soil  is  not  so  fertile,  but  is  of  fine  quality,  and  will  produce  the 
highest  grades  of  fine  yellow  tobacco,  and  other  crops  if  properly 
treated.  On  the  south  side  of  the  Neuse,  the  soil  is  not  so  fertile,  is 
more  sandy,  but  of  such  character  as  to  be  capable  of  being  brought 
to  a  high  state  of  cultivation.  It  is  more  sparcely  settled  than  the 
north  side. 

The  question  of  proper  water  for  drinking  purposes  has  been 
settled  by  the  driven-well  system.  Excellent  water  for  table  is  found 
at  thirty  to  thirty-five  feet  from  the  surface. 

Cotton  is  the  great  staple.  The  soil  is  well  adapted  to  the  cul- 
tivation of  corn  and  all  other  cereals;  also  Irish  and  sweet  potatoes. 
All  the  fruits  of  the  temperate  regions  can  be  successfully  grown,  and 
the  cultivation,  if  made  a  specialty,  would  be  attended  with  profit. 
There  are  no  lands  in  the  entire  State  of  North  Carolina  better 
adapted  to  the  cultivation  of  bright  yellow  tobacco  than  the  lands  of 
Lenoir  county.  Owing  to  the  great  prosperity  of  this  county,  land 
is  in  demand.  There  is  a  high  order  of  intelligence  among  the 
farming  population,  and  they  are  well  abreast  with  the  recent  im- 
provements in  farming  and  are  well  informed  in  agricultural  chemis- 
try. They  take  rank  with  the  most  successful  farmers  of  the  South. 
Their  lands  are  scientifically  cultivated,  and  their  farms  are  models 
of  neatness. 

The  Atlantic  and  North  Carolina  railroad  traverses  the  county, 
giving  access  to  all  the  markets;  and  this  facility  has  given  an  im- 
petus to  truck  farming,  for  which  soil  and  climate  are  well  adapted, 
and  all  the  early  vegetables  cultivated  on  the  shores  of  navigable 
waters  are  sent  to  market  from  Lenoir  with  equal  facility  and  profits 


Description  of  Counties.  359 


The  Neuse  is  navigable  to  Kinston  and  for  a  few  miles  above,  and  is 
navigated  by  regular  lines  of  freight  steamboats. 

Kinston,  the  capital,  is  situated  on  the  Neuse  river,  and  also  on 
the  Atlantic  and  North  Carolina  railroad;  and  is  also  the  southern  ter- 
minus of  a  branch  of  the  Wilmington  and  Weldon  railroad,  extend- 
ing from  Weldon  via .  Scotland  Neck ,  a  distance  of  1 1 2  miles .  Kinston  is 
a  considerable  cotton  market,  and  forwards  annually  between  10,000 
and  12,000  bales.  The  population  is  1,800;  I^a  Grange  has  a  popula- 
tion of  800. 

Lenoir  county  has  241,183  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $873,797,  and 
854  town  lots,  valued  at  ^345,451. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — 1,293  horses;  1,316  mules;  3,784 
cattle;  18,175,  hogs;  1,069,  sheep  ^.nd  820  goats. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  use,  $4,173.33;  pensions,  $874.35; 
schools,  $7,443.62;  county,  $10,705.20. 

Population — white,  8,517;  colored,  6,362;  total,  14,879. 

LINCOLN. 

Lincoln  county,  named  for  Gen.  Lincoln  of  Revolutionary  fame, 
lies  south  of  Catawba  county  and  west  of  the  Catawba  river,  and  its 
featurss,  agricultural  and  topographical,  are  those  of  that  county, 
and  may  be  described  in  nearly  the  same  terms  Its  territory  is 
drained  by  the  parallel  courses  of  the  numerous  tributaries  of  the 
South  Fork  of  the  Catawba.  The  average  elevation  is  nearly  1,000 
feet  above  sea-level.  In  its  middle  and  eastern  portion  along  the 
Catawba  river  are  north  and  south  zones,  several  miles  in  breadth,  of 
red-clay  soils,  with  oak  and  hickory  forests.  For  the  rest,  its  forests 
are  mixed  oak,  pine,  walnut,  ash,  maple,  dogwood,  cherry,  birch  and 
poplar,  and  its  soils  are  gray  and  yellow  gravelly  loams.  The  eastern 
side  of  the  county  is  hilly  near  the  river. 

This  county,  once  one  of  the  largest  in  the  State,  has  been  so 
reduced  by  the  formation  of  Catawba  and  Gaston  counties  from  its 
territory  as  to  be  one  of  the  smallest.  It,  however,  retains  much  of 
its  former  consequence,  owing  to  the  productiveness  of  its  soil,  the 
variety  of  its  crops,  the  value  of  its  ores,  and  its  fine  water-power  and 
consequent  adaptation  to  the  uses  of  manufactures. 

It  produces  tobacco  of  good  quality  and  in  considerable  quantity, 
and  a  cotton  crop  of  about  4,000  bales,  besides  wheat,  corn  and  other 
grains.  It  is  naturally  the  home  of  the  grape,  and  it  is  here  the  cele- 
brated Lincoln  grape  had  its  origin.  It  has  been  long  noted  for  its 
productive  iron  mines,  producing  the  best  grade  of  magnetite,  which 
have  been  worked  since  ante-Revolutionary  days.  It  has  abundant 
water  power,  both  from  the  main  stream  of  the  Catawba  river  and 
from  the  South  Fork  of  the  same  stream,  and  upon  both  of  them  are 
large  cotton  factories.  The  first  cotton  factory  south  of  the  Potomac 
was  at  the  Laboratory  (Rhyne)  site,  and  much  of  the  machinery  was 
made  by  native  mechanics.  There  are  now  seven  cotton  and  two 
woolen  mills  in  the  coimty. 

There  is  a  roller  flour  mill,  lime  quarries,  and  a  number  of  gold 
mines,  two  of  which  are  in  active  operation  at  this  time.     There  is  a 


360  North  Carolina  and  its  Resource's. 


bold  vein  of  manganese  crossing  the  county  from  north  to  south,  and 
fine  quarries  of  granite  and  soapstone.  There  are  also  several  noted 
mineral  springs — "Ivincoln  L^ithia"  and  "Old  Catawba."  These 
waters  are  famed  for  their  medicinal  properties. 

Ivincolnton  is  the  county  seat,  and  has  a  population  of  975.  It  is 
on  the  Carolina  Central  road,  which  is  here  intersected  by  the 
Chester  and  Ivenoir  Narrow  Gauge  railroad,  thus  giving  the  town 
and  the  county  ample  facilities  for  travel  and  transportation. 

L/incoln  county  has  183,253  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $1,043,431 
and  374  town  lots,  valued  at  $139,605. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — horses,  1,522;  mules,  1,640; 
cattle,  4,808;  hogs,  6,856;  sheep  1,789. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  uses,  $4,065.49;  pensions,  $801.57; 
schools,  $6,450.96;  county,  $9,293.67. 

Population — white,  10,028;  colored,  2,558;  total,  12,586. 

MCDOWELL. 

McDowell  county  lies  on  the  eastern  flank  of  the  Blue  Ridge,  near 
its  highest  parts,  which  exceed  in  this  region  an  elevation  of  5,500 
feet,  and  its  territory  may  be  described  as  mountainous.  Its  average 
elevation  is  more  than  1,500  feet,  and  it  is  for  the  most  part  drained 
by  the  headwaters  of  the  Catawba  river.  The  southern  and  broader 
end  of  its  triangular  territory  is  traversed  east  and  west  by  the  South 
mountains,  a  long  eastward  projection  from  the  Blue  Ridge.  Along 
the  course  of  the  Catawba  river  and  some  of  its  chief  tributaries  are 
wide  tracts  of  sandy  and  alluvial  bottoms,  which  are  very  productive. 
The  hilly  and  mountainous  tracts  have  the  usual  variety  of  gray  and 
yellowish  oak  uplands  soils  of  medium  fertility  and  mixed  forests  of 
oak,  pine,  chestnut,  etc.  Reddish  clay  loam  soils,  with  a  preponder- 
ant oak  forest,  are  found  in  patches  here  and  there  in  the  middle  and 
southeastern  sections.  A  large  proportion  of  the  soils  of  the  county 
are  well  adapted  to  the  better  grades  of  tobacco,  and  the  agriculture 
of  the  county  has  the  great  advantage  of  an  abundance  of  limestone  in 
the  northern  and  middle  sections.  The  forests  abound  in  large 
quantities  of  the  finest  timber;  walnut,  oak,  poplar,  chestnut,  pine 
and  locust  being  the  chief  varieties.  There  is  a  large  amount  of 
valuable  timber  on  the  slopes  of  the  Blue  Ridge  and  in  the  mountain 
coves,  which  must  become  the  foundation  of  important  manufactures, 
and  then  there  is  an  indefinite  amount  of  water-power. 

Col.  H.  C.  Demming,  Secretary  and  General  Manager  of  the 
Marion  Bullion  Company,  gives  the  following  in  regard  to  mines  and 
minerals: 

"In  the  townships  of  Brackett,  Dysartville  and  Old  Fort,  corpor- 
ations known  as  the  Marion  Bullion  Company  and  the  Marion 
Improvement  Company  have  been  operating  during  the  past  11  years. 
They  have  erected  machinery,  and  adapted  labor-saving  appliances 
from  time  to  time,  until  now  their  various  operations  do  the  work  of 
more  than  1,500  men.  The  pay-roll  in  addition,  numbers  from  5  to 
100  hands,  depending  upon  the  men  and  character  of  work,  and  the 
season  of  the  year.     The  principal  operations  are  gold  mining  by  placer, 


Description  of  Counties.  361 


sluice  washing  and  hydraulic;  also  quartz  minin;^, — more  than  thirty- 
veins  have  been  opened.  The  total  output  of  the  properties  from  the 
first  mining  more  than  sixty  years  ago  is  estimated  at  $1,176,000.  In 
addition  there  has  been  a  large  quantity  of  mica  mined,  and  five  veins 
have  been  opened.  Monazite  has  been  extensively  mined,  most  of  the 
mineral  going  to  Europe.  In  addition  they  have  been  mining  quantities 
of  garnet,  white  granite,  flagstone,  vitrified  brick  clay  and  many  gems — 
the  total  product  in  gems  amounting  in  value  to  $66,000  May  i,  1896. 
During  1895  and  1896  thirty-three  small  diamonds  were  found,  also  a 
number  of  rubies  and  sapphires  from  corundum  deposits,  which  have 
also  been  mined  to  some  extent.  The  companies  have  recently  had 
classified  156  species  of  minerals  found  on  their  properties.  Exhibits 
from  mines — almost  altogether  of  gems— received  highest  awards  both 
at  the  Columbian  Exposition,  Chicago,  1893,  and  at  Atlanta,  Georgia, 
1895." 

Considerable  attention  has  been  given  to  the  culture  of  tobacco, 
a  clear,  bright  tobacco  of  fine  texture  being  produced.  The  chief 
crops  are  corn,  wheat,  oats,  rye  and  buckwheat,  and  in  the  matter  of 
fruits,  apples  of  fine  flavor  and  size  are  conspicuous.  All  fruits  do 
well,  but  the  winter  apples  cannot  be  excelled. 

Fine  bottom  lands  are  found  along  the  Catawba  river,  which 
rises  on  the  mountain  sides  of  this  county,  and  thence  flows  through 
the  county  in  a  continuity  of  broad  fertile  valley.  Other  fine  valleys 
are  those  of  Turkey  Cove  and  North  Cove.  Besides  the  Blue  Ridge 
on  the  north  and  west,  the  South  mountains  and  their  continuation 
lie  on  the  south  side  of  the  county,  and  continue  to  be,  as  they  have  been 
for  more  than  half  a  century,  productive  fields  of  gold  placer  mining. 

The  Western  North  Carolina  railroad  passes  through  the  county, 
and  the  Charleston,  Cincinnati  and  Chicago  road  is  complete  as  far  as 
Marion,  and  gives  new  and  independent  connections  east  and  south. 

Marion,  the  county  seat,  now  has  a  population  of  about  1,000.  It 
is  the  trading  center  of  the  county  and  of  the  counties  of  Yancy  and 
Mitchell,  it  being  their  nearest  railroad  point.  It  has  improved 
rapidly  for  the  last  year  or  two  and  is  still  improving.  A  bank  has 
begun  business  in  the  last  few  months,  and  a  furniture  factory  and  a 
locust  pin  factory  are  now  being  erected  in  the  town. 

It  is  especially  adapted  for  all  kinds  of  wood-working  factories  on 
account  of  the  cheap  timber  and  good  railroad  facilities.  The  great 
number  of  trees,  the  bark  of  which  is  used  in  tanneries,  makes  it 
especially  favorable  as  a  location  for  a  tannery.  It  now  has  two 
tanneries,  a  tobacco  factory,  a  rectifying  establishment  and  several 
minor  industries. 

Old  Fort,  at  the  foot  of  the  mountains,  before  the  Revolutionary 
war  the  seat  of  a  fort  planted  there  to  hold  the  Cherokee  Indians  on 
the  other  side  of  the  mountains,  is  a  summer  resort,  has  some  manu- 
factures, and  a  population  of  300. 

McDowell  county  has  309,265  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $6oS,8oi; 
and  1,360  town  lots,  valued  at  $104,732. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — 648  horses;  974  mules;  1,461 
cattle;  6,588  hogs;  1,817  sheep. 


362  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


Product  of  taxation — for  state  uses,  $1,999.45;  pensions,  $453.71; 
schools,  $4,891.19;  county,  $12,705.24. 

Population — white,  9,114;  colored,  1,825;  total,  10,939. 

HACON. 

Macon  county  extends  from  the  South  Carolina  and  Georgia 
lines,  on  the  south,  northward  to  the  southern  boundary  of  Swain 
county.  It  lies  between  the  Cowee  range  on  the  east  and  the 
Nantahala  mountains  on  the  west,  while  along  the  southern  border 
stretches  the  Blue  Ridge,  here  assuming  bold,  precipitous,  and 
picturesque  forms,  the  precipices  of  Whitesides,  Black  Rock, 
Fodder  Stack,  Satulah  and  Scaly  breaking  down  towards  the  south 
with  perpendicular  faces,  of  a  depth  of  from  1,000  to  1,500  feet.  The 
highest  peak  in  the  Cowee  range  is  the  Yellow  mountain,  5,133  feet 
high.  The  Nantahala  mountains  are  a  majestic  range,  beginning 
with  Pickens  Nose,  4,926  feet  high;  thence  extending  northward 
with  a  uniform  general  height  of  about  5,000  feet,  the  highest  point 
being  the  Wayah,  near  where  the  State  road  crosses  the  Gap  at  a 
height  of  4,138  feet,  that  mountain  being  5,494  feet  in  height. 
Between  the  Tennessee  river  and  its  tributary,  the  CuUasagee,  a 
range  extends  northward  from  the  Blue  Ridge,  terminating  near  the 
confluence  of  these  streams,  the  highest  point  of  which  is  the  Fish 
Hawk,  4,749  feet.  Numerous  shorter  spurs  project  at  right  angles 
from  the  main  chains  of  Cowee  and  the  Nantahala,  between  which 
are  streams  of  ten  or  twelve  miles  in  length  flowing  through  broad 
and  fertile  valleys.  The  chief  of  these  are  Cartoogajay,  Wayah, 
Cowee  and  EUijay. 

The  Tennessee  river  is  the  principal  stream,  rising  in  Georgia, 
near  Rabun  Gap,  and  flowing  northward  through  a  fine  valley  of 
great  fertility,  until  it  unites  with  the  Tuckaseegee.  The  current  of 
this  stream  is  more  gentle  than  any  found  among  the  mountains,  and 
the  fall  is  so  gradual  that  it  is  selected  as  a  railroad  route,  the  grade 
not  exceeding  forty-seven  feet  to  the  mile  through  the  whole  length 
of  Macon  county.  The  valley  of  the  Tennessee  is  in  cultivation,  the 
whole  being  very  fertile. 

The  next  largest  stream  is  the  CuUasagee,  or  Sugar  Fork  of  the 
Tennessee.  This  stream  has  a  tumultuous  course,  rising  on  the 
high  plateau  of  the  Highlands,  4,000  feet  above  sea-level,  and  cutting 
its  way  down  to  the  level  of  the  Tennessee  through  the  opposing 
mountains  in  a  series  of  rapids,  cascades  and  catracts,  adding  greatly 
to  picturesque  effect,  but,  except  as  water-power,  adding  nothing  of 
economical  value  until  it  approaches  the  Tennessee,  within  eight  or 
ten  miles  of  which  it  opens  into  a  very  fertile  and  prosperous  farming 
section.  Nantahala  is  a  beautiful  mountain  stream,  having  its  bed 
in  a  trough  on  almost  the  top  of  the  Nantahala  mountains,  the 
depression  between  that  range  and  the  Valley  river  or  Tusquittak 
mountains  being  very  small. 

The  area  of  open  land,  assimilating  in  character  to  the  features 
of  the  Piedmont  country,  is  greater  than  in  any  other  western  county. 
Farms  are  more  numerous  and  more  continuous,  and  population  more 
dense.     The  soil  is  productive. 


DESCRIPTION  OP  Counties.  363 


The  chief  crops  are  wheat,  corn,  rye  and  oats,  and  grass  grows 
luxuriantly  wherever  seeded,  on  hill-side  or  in  valley.  Some  tobacco 
is  raised — once  quite  largely — but  it  has  now  ceased  to  be  a  market 
crop. 

Minerals  are  abundant,  but  no  mines  are  worked  except  those  of 
corundum  and  mica.  The  former,  near  the  Cullasagee,  are  worked 
extensively,  the  product  being  about  thirty  tons  a  month.  Mica  is 
mined  extensively  in  several  localities. 

Franklin  is  the  county  seat.  Its  population  is  500;  it  occupies 
a  prominence  above  the  Tennessee  river  and  the  situation  is  pic- 
turesque; the  climate  and  water  can  not  be  excelled. 

Highlands  is  a  new  village  established  by  northern  settlers  as  a 
sanitarium,  on  the  crest  of  the  Blue  Ridge,  on  a  broad  plateau,  at  an 
elevation  of  3,750  feet  above  the  sea.  It  is  thriving,  and  has  a 
population  of  about  500,  representing  thirty -one  States  and  Territories. 

Macon  county  has  301,270  acres  of  land  valued  at  $710,842;  and 
322  town  lots  valued  at  $93,740. 

Of  domestic  animals  it  has — 1,710  horses;  968  mules;  7,525  cattle; 
8,738  hogs;  and  8,217  sheep. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  uses,  $2,555.91;  pensions,  $551.32; 
schools,  $4,755.10;  county,  $6,543.72. 

Population — white,  9,436;  colored,  666;  total  10,102. 

MADISON. 

This  county  lies  north  of  Buncombe,  which  is  its  southern  bound- 
ary. The  Smoky  mountains  separate  it  on  the  north  from  Tennessee, 
Yancej'-  county  bounds  it  on  the  east,  and  Haywood  on  the  west. 

The  county  is  essentially  a  mountain  territory.  There  is  but 
little  of  valley  lands,  nearly  the  whole  surface  being  traversed  by 
ranges  of  mountains,  ranging  from  2,500  to  4,500  feet  above  sea-level. 
None  of  them  rise  to  the  stupendous  height  they  attain  in  the  adjoin- 
ing counties  of  Yancey  and  Haywood,  the  Great  Smoky  range  even 
being  depressed  below  its  average  height.  But  though  mountainous, 
almost  the  whole  soil  is  of  surpassing  fertility.  In  few  counties  does 
the  timber  attain  such  vast  dimensions,  and  in  some  favored  localities 
its  size  might  appear  fabulous.  On  the  Laurel  river  walnut  eight 
feet  in  diameter,  poplar  ten  or  twelve,  wild  cherry  three  or  four, 
buckeye  of  the  same,  black  birch  of  the  same  size  and  of  propor- 
tionate height,  are  the  common  growth  ofthe  county.  And  to  them 
may  be  added  other  trees  too  many  in  variety  to  enumerate. 

From  such  exurberance  of  soil  much  of  agricultural  prodigality 
of  wealth  might  be  expected.  Nor  is  there  disappointment  in  expecta- 
tion, though  from  absence  of  the  means  of  transportation  agricultural 
effort  was  limited  to  the  production  of  little  more  than  the  necessar- 
ies of  life  until  the  discovery  that  these  mountainous  hills  had  pecu- 
liar adaptation  to  the  production  of  superior  tobacco.  For  ten  years 
or  more  Madison  county  has  been  foremost  in  the  production  of  a 
very  superior  bright  yellow  tobacco.  The  impulse  given  by  its  cul- 
ture has  had  marked  effect  upon  the  condition  of  the  county.  I^and 
held  at  nominal  prices  has  increased  in  value.     Mountain  sides  and 


364  North  Carolina  and  its  Re;sources. 


tops  that  seemed  destined  forever  to  wear  their  vesture  and  crown  of 
forest  have  been  brought  into  cultivation.  Men  that  ten  years  ago 
scarcely  knew  the  sight  or  name  of  money  have  become  prosperous 
and  relatively  rich,  and  the  county  is  now  one  most  forward  in  im- 
provement. 

The  soil  is  prolific  in  other  products.  All  the  grains  yield  well, 
and  the  grasses  flourish  in  remarkable  luxuriance,  stock-raising 
being  a  very  considerable  source  of  revenue  which  might  be  indefi- 
nitely enlarged. 

The  mineral  wealth  of  the  county  is  known  to  be  great,  but  is  unde- 
veloped. Magnetic  iron  and  other  ores  of  the  same  metal  are  found 
in  numerous  localities.  Corundum  of  good  quality  is  found  on  Ivy 
river  and  tributaries.  Barytes  is  mined  to  some  extent  below  Mar- 
shall, lyime  exists  in  a  vein  of  half  a  mile  in  breadth,  exhibiting 
itself  in  lofty  and  picturesque  cliffs  a  mile  below  the  Hot  Springs. 

The  French  Broad  river  bisects  the  county,  passing  through  it 
a  broad  roaring  torrent  between  precipitous  hills  encroaching  so 
closely  upon  the  river  as  to  leave  little  room  for  human  habitation  or 
enterprise.  Laurel  river  and  Ivy  river  both  come  in  on  the  right 
bank,  large  bold  streams,  each  cutting  its  way  through  the  mountains, 
presenting  characteristics  similar  to  those  of  the  French  Broad  and 
equally  unavailable  as  water  power. 

The  tobacco  crop  is  annually  about  two  and  a-half  million 
pounds,  a  large  proportion  of  which  is  bright  yellow.  It  is  marketed 
chiefly  at  Asheville,  and  to  some  extent  at  Lynchburg  and  Danville. 

The  Paint  Rock  branch  of  the  Western  North  Carolina  railroad, 
winding  through  the  confined  gorge  of  the  French  Broad  river, 
gives  ready  access  to  market,  and  is  now  one  of  the  great  highways 
of  continental  travel. 

Marshall,  the  county  seat,  is  situated  in  a  narrow  strip  of  land 
between  overtopping  hills  and  the  river,  with  a  breadth  of  less  than  a 
hundred  yards  and  a  length  of  less  than  half  a  mile.  It  has  a  popula- 
tion of  about  300,  active  and  enterprising,  and  is  the  centre  of  a  large 
tobacco  business,  there  being  here  two  tobacco  sales  warehouses. 

Hot  Springs,  sixteen  miles  below  Marshall,  is  the  most  noted 
spot  in  the  county,  celebrated  for  its  warm  baths,  its  extensive  hotel, 
and  the  beauty  of  its  surroundings.  Its  importance  is  confined  chiefly 
to  its  character  as  a  health  and  pleasure  resort. 

Madison  county  has  267,405  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $1,161,705; 
and  171  town  lots,  valued  at  $60,741. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — 1,814  horses;  1,602,  m-ules;  8,010 
cattle;  9,939  hogs,  and  4,770  sheep. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  uses,  $3,789.06;  pensions,  $871.43; 
schools,  $8,286.84;  county,  $15,374.86. 

Population — white,   17,095;  colored,  710;  total,  17,805. 

MARTIN. 

Martin  county  has  an  area  of  500  square  miles.  Williamston,  its 
county  seat,  is  situated  on  the  south  bank  of  the  Roanoke  river,  which 
forms  the  northern  boundary  of  the  county,  and  has  a  population  of  800. 


Description  op  Counties.  365 


On  the  bank  of  the  same  river  stands  Hamilton,  thirteen  miles 
above  Williamston,  with  a  population  of  785,  and  Jamesville,  eleven 
miles  below  Williamston  with  a  population  of  400.  Robersonville, 
Everetts  and  Parmele  are  towns  within  the  county  situated  on  the  line 
of  the  railroad. 

The  county  is  well  watered  by  numerous  creeks  and  other  streams, 
which  for  the  most  part  drain  it  northward  into  the  Roanoke  river. 
Along  the  Roanoke  and  some  of  its  tributaries  are  extensive  bottoms 
or  alluvial  lands,  and  at  the  heads  of  its  tributaries  are  consid- 
erable tracts  of  swamp  lands,  which  are  as  fertile  as  any 
lands  in  the  State.  Many  of  the  bottom  or  alluvial  lands  are  covered 
with  a  dense  growth  of  reeds  making  them  the  best  of  cattle  ranges, 
and  often  keeping  the  cattle  fat  as  late  in  winter  as  January.  The 
larger  part  of  the  territory  of  the  county  belongs  to  the  region  of  level 
piny  uplands  having  a  sandy  loam  soil.  The  higher  ridge  land  near 
the  river  has  generally  a  lighter  and  more  sandy  soil.  All  of  the 
timbers  and  woods  common  to  the  eastern  piny  region  of  the  State 
are  found  in  abundance,  while  the  swamp  lands  along  the  river  furnish 
every  variety  of  swamp  growth. 

The  agriculture  of  the  county  corresponds  in  its  main  features  to 
that  of  the  adjoining  counties,  and  its  uplands  are  as  fertile,  though 
it  has  not  as  much  low,  flat  swampy  land.  Because  of  its  large  and 
profitable  lumber  industry  in  the  great  cypress  swamps  of  the  Roanoke 
and  its  turpentine  forests  and  fishing  interests,  its  agriculture  is  less 
advanced.  Its  waters  abound  in  fish  and  its  forests  in  game.  The 
fisheries  of  the  Roanoke  are  extensive  and  valuable. 

Cotton,  peanuts,  corn,  tobacco,  oats  and  every  variety  of  grain 
grow  well  on  its  soil.  Its  lighter  sandy  soils  are  fine  for  trucking, 
while  on  its  stiffer  lands  clover  and  grapes  grow  finely.  Grapes  and 
all  kinds  of  fruits  may  be  raised  with  little  effort.  Marl  is  abundant 
and  is  used  to  a  moderate  extent. 

The  county  has  good  railroad  facilities.  The  Albemarle  & 
Raleigh  railroad,  now  a  part  of  the  Tarboro  branch  of  the  Wilmington 
&  Weldon  extends  through  the  county  a  distance  of  thirty-five  miles, 
and  the  Scotland  Neck  branch  a  distance  of  sixteen  miles.  These 
roads,  with  the  river,  which  is  navigable  for  any  boats  which  can 
enter  the  sounds  of  the  State,  give  good  shipping  advantages.  There 
is  perhaps  not  a  home  in  the  county  distant  more  than  ten  miles 
from  a  depot. 

Martin  county  has  297,676  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $1,026,134, 
and  655  town  lots  valued  at  $214,677. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — 1,110  horses;  918  mules;  237 
goats;  6,152  cattle;  18,574  hogs,  and  2,694  sheep. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  use,  $4,263.83;  pensions,  $870.26; 
schools,  $7,431.68;  county,  $7,270.12. 

Population — white,  7,838;  colored,  7,383;  total,  15,221, 

MECKLENBURG. 

Mecklenburg  county  is  located  in  the  Piedmont  Plateau  region, 
and  is  bounded  on  the  south  by  South  Carolina,  and  on  the  west  by 
the  Catawba  river.     The  county  was  originally   largely   settled   by 


366  North  Caroi,ina  and  its  Re^sources. 


Scotch,  with  Irish,  German  and  English  intermingled.  The  elevation 
varies  between  600  and  900  feet,  the  average  being  about  700  feet 
above  the  sea.  This  is  one  of  the  largest  and  most  productive,  as 
well  as  one  of  the  most  populous,  counties  in  the  State,  A  consider- 
able portion  of  the  territory  of  this  county  belongs  to  the  class  of 
red-clay  lands  which  were  originally  covered  with  heavy  forests  of 
oak — pine  coming  in  as  a  constituent  of  the  forests  only  on  the 
summits  of  the  ridges  and  divides  between  the  streams,  where  the 
soils  are  gray  and  yellow  sandy  loams.  The  higher  portion  of  the 
county,  which  lies  along  the  water-shed  between  the  Yadkin  and  the 
Catawba  in  a  north  and  south  direction,  belongs,  in  the  main,  to  the 
latter  class  of  soils,  but  has  here  and  there  small  tracts  of  red  clay. 
This  county  shows  a  large  product  of  cotton,  ranking  third  in  this 
respect;  and  also  produces  corn  and  the  small  grains  on  a  large  scale. 

Gold  and  copper  mining  are  important  industries  in  several 
sections  of  the  county.  The  principal  minerals  are  gold,  silver, 
copper,  soapstone  and  barytes.  For  over  fifty  years  the  gold  mines 
have  been  famous  for  their  yield  of  rich  ores.  A  large  capital  is  now 
invested  in  these  mines,  some  of  which  are  being  successfully  worked. 

The  numerous  railways  entering  the  county,  and  all  centering 
in  Charlotte,  have  stimulated  all  industries  and  encouraged  all 
enterprises.  Agriculture  has  advanced  with  the  encouragement  of 
readj^  markets  and  promoted  by  the  operations  of  the  stock  law. 
Good  roads  facilitate  the  v/ork  of  the  farmer  in  his  resort  to  the 
market,  and  have  advanced  materially  the  value  of  rural  property. 
This  county  leads  in  the  cause  of  "good  roads"  and  really  good 
Macadam  roads  radiate  from  Charlotte.  The  railroads  also  radiate  from 
Charlotte  in  all  directions.  The  first  built  is  the  branch  of  the  South 
Carolina  road,  now  known  as  the  Charlotte,  Columbia  and  Augusta 
road;  then  the  North  Carolina  road,  of  which  Charlotte  was  the  west- 
ern terminus,  and  which  is  now  a  part  of  the  Southern  system — one 
of  the  great  through  lines  of  travel  and  traffic;  and  this  line  is  ex- 
tended to  Atlanta,  going  from  Charlotte  through  the  southwestern 
part  of  Mecklenburg,  and  developing  greatly  the  resources  of  a 
country  before  much  secluded.  The  Carolina  Central,  beginning  at 
"Wilmington,  passes  through  Charlotte,  to  find  its  present  terminus  at 
Rutherfordton,  thus  giving  Charlotte  another  east  and  west  line;  and 
the  Atlantic,  Tennessee  and  Ohio  road,  connecting  at  Statesville  with 
the  Western  North  Carolina,  a  branch  of  the  Southern,  makes 
additional  valuable  connections  and  develops  another  part  of  the 
county.  Charlotte  is  also  directly  connected  with  the  new  line 
recently  opened  from  Monroe  to  Atlanta,  and  thus  is  provided  with 
railroad  facilities  unequalled  in  North  Carolina.  The  effect,  not  only 
upon  Charlotte,  but  the  whole  county,  has  been  very  great;  and  no 
city  and  no  county  exibits  more  solidly  attained  or  more  permanently 
secured  prosperity. 

Mecklenburg  is  historically  a  very  interesting  county  by  reason 
of  the  "  Mecklenburg  Declaration  of  Independence"  which  was 
adopted  more  than  a  year  (May  20,  1775)  prior  to  that  by  the 
Congress  at  Philadelphia  (July  4,  1776);  and  this  event  is  annually 
celebrated  at  Charlotte,  and  May  20  is  a  State  holiday. 


Description  of  Counties.  367 


Charlotte,  the  county  seat,  has  by  recent  police  census  in  the 
city  and  suburbs  a  population  of  19,650.  The  city  is  well  laid  out, 
has  well-paved  streets,  lines  of  electric  street  cars,  electric  lighting, 
water  works,  sewerage,  telephone  exchange,  public  parks,  and  all 
the  conveniences  and  necessities  of  healthy  corporate  existence; 
has  numerous  and  elegant  churches,  schools,  opera-houses,  capa- 
cious and  elegant  hotels,  a  United  States  Assay  Office,  an  elegant 
public  building  for  Federal  courthouse  and  postoffice. 

Charlotte  is  a  manufacturing  centre,  among  the  more  promin- 
ent, the  following  plants  may  be  mentioned: 

Ada  Manufacturing  Co.,  yarn  mills,  capital  stock  $128,600, 
spindles,  8,000;  Alpha  Mills,  capital  stock  $100,000,  spindles.  6,500; 
Atherton  Mills,  capital  stock,  $175,000,  spindles,  10,000;  Charlotte 
Cotton  Mills,  capital  stock,  $131,500,  spindles,  g,ooo;  Victor  Cotton 
Mills,  capital  stock  $150,000,  spindles  11,616;  Louise  Mills,  capital 
stock  $200,000,  spindles  10,000,  in  course  of  erection,  has  paid 
$10,000  and  will  begin  business  with  5,000  spindles;  Highland  Park 
Manufacturing  Company,  capital  stock  $198,000,  spindles  6,000, 
looms  410;  Myrton  Hosiery  Mills,  capital  stock  $45,000;  The  Lidell 
Iron  Works  Company,  capital  stock  $100,000;  Mecklenburg  Iron 
Works,  Southern  Card  Clothing  Manufacturing  Compan}^,  Mecklen- 
burg Roller  Flouring  Mills;  Q.  A.  Robins  &  Co.,  sash,  cord  and 
clothes  lines;  Park  Manufacturing  Compan}^;  Crowle^^'s  Mills;  Char- 
lotte Clothing  Manufacturing  Company;  Dixie  Pants  Company; 
Charlotte  Trouser  Company;  North  Carolina  Cotton  Oil  Companj^, 
capital  stock  $50,000;  Charlotte  Oil  and  Fertilizer  Company,  capital 
stock  $200,000.  Will  soon  have  under  contract  a  new  court  house 
to  cost  $50,000.  The  City  Building  cost  $50,000.  Charlotte  has  a 
crematory  now  in  operation. 

Davidson  College,  the  seat  of  the  college  of  that  name,  has  a 
population  of  500,  Matthews  of  350,  Huntersville  of  450. 

Mecklenburg  county  has  324,648  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $2,465,- 
474,  and  2,974  town  lots,  valued  at  $3,023,155. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — 2,863  horses;  3,987  mules;  9,748 
cattle,  11,576  hogs;  1,393  sheep;  151  goats. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  uses  $19,823.24;  pensions, 
l3>565>74;  schools,  $27,227.07;  county,  $71,198.55. 

Population — white,  23,141;  colored,  19,532;  total,  42,673. 

niTCHELL. 

Mitchell  county  lies  between  the  Blue  Ridge  on  the  south  and 
east,  and  the  Roan  and  Iron  mountain  on  the  north,  the  west  having 
a  conventional  boundary.  The  whole  county  is  to  a  great  degree 
mountainous,  there  being  little  valley  formation  except  on  the  upper 
waters  of  the  Toe  and  lyinville  rivers.  The  highest  mountain  is  the 
Roan,  which  rises  to  the  height  of  6,334  f^et.  The  north  Toe  river 
is  the  principal  stream  flowing  out  of  the  State  under  the  name  of  the 
Nolechucky  and  one  of  the  main  affluents  of  the  Holston 
river  in  Tennessee.  The  Linville  river  flows  southeast  into  the 
-Catawba. 


368  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


The  soil  of  Mitchell  is  mostly  fertile,  the  timber  of  large  size  and 
of  great  variety.  The  cereals  grow  to  great  perfection.  Apples, 
peaches,  pears,  cherries  and  grapes  are  of  great  excellence,  and  much 
of  the  land  proves  well  adapted  to  the  production  of  very  fine  tobacco. 
The  grasses  flourish,  and  cattle  are  reared  for  maket  in  considerable 
numbers. 

The'  mineral  products  of  this  county  are  confined  at  present  to 
mica  and  iron;  copper  and  other  metals  have  been  found.  The 
famous  Cranberry  mines  are  in  the  northeastern  corner  of  the  county, 
and  now  extensively  worked.  They  are  connected  by  railroad  with  the 
Norfolk  and  Southern  railroad  at  Johnson  City,  Tennessee. 

The  mica  mines  are  the  most  extensive  in  the  United  States,  and 
produce  a  large  proportion  of  the  mica  put  on  the  market.  The  most 
productive  mines  are  those  once  worked  by  an  aboriginal  race. 

Tobacco  of  fine  quality  is  grown  to  considerable  extent,  the 
average  crop  being  about  50,000  pounds.  The  timber  industry  is  a 
great  and  growing  one. 

In  this  county  is  the  Roan  mountain,  6,334  f^^t  high,  on  whose 
long  grass-covered  summit  is  a  fine  hotel,  made  easily  accessible,  and 
one  of  the  most,  if  not  the  most,  elevated  health  and  pleasure  resorts 
in  the  United  States. 

Bakersville,  the  county  seat,  has  a  population  of  about  400,  and 
Klk  Park  of  350. 

Mitchell  county  has  194,119  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $606,963, 
and  373  town  lots,  valued  at  f  5,974. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — 1,723  horses;  533  mules;  6,583 
cattle;  5,806  hogs;  8,087  sheep. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  use,  $1,987.69;  pensions,  $475,60; 
schools,  $4,324.52;  county,  $6,381.26. 

Population — white,  12,252;  colored,  555;  total,  12,807. 

nONTGOMERY. 

In  its  topographical  features,  Montgomery  county  may  be 
described  in  nearly  the  same  terms  as  Chatham.  Several  low  chains 
of  mountains  or  high  ranges  of  slate  hills  cross  the  county  in  a  direc- 
tion nearly  north  and  south.  The  county  is  drained  by  the  Yadkin 
river  and  two  of  its  chief  tributaries — the  Uwharrie  and  lyittle  rivers. 
Its  territory  therefore,  in  river  sections,  is  quite  broken  in  surface.  Its 
soils  are  mostly  sandy  and  gravelly  loams  with  occasional  tracts  of  red 
clays.  Centrally  and  extending  to  and  along  the  eastern  border  there 
are  large  bodies  of  valuable  long-leaf  pine  timber,  while  the  other 
sections  abound  in  hard  woods.  In  the  long-leaf  pine  section  the 
soil  is  usually  lean,  but  open  and  excellent  for  trucking  and  fruit 
culture,  being  much  the  same  as  that  at  Southern  Pines,  but  a  little 
better.  From  Troy  across  the  county  south  is  the  cotton  growing 
section,  while  the  other  sections  are  best  adapted  to  corn,  wheat  and 
other  cereals,  grasses  and  fruits. 

The  water  power  of  its  rivers  is  very  great,  the  Yadkin  having  a 
fall  within  the  county  of  more  than  two  hundred  feet,  and  a  force  per 
foot  of  above  three  hundred  and  fifty  horse  power.     There  are  many 


Description  of  Counties.  369 


valuable  gold  mines,  both  vein  and  placer.  One  of  the  latest  develop- 
ments is  a  vein  near  Cotton  Stone  mountain,  about  four  miles  north, 
running  from  selected  ore  as  high  as  $140  per  ton.  There  are  whole 
townships  which  show  gold  at  every  step,  by  use  of  the  ordinary  pan. 
Recent  investigations  have  developed  vitrified  cla}',  kaolin,  graphite, 
fine  sandstone,  coal  and  iron. 

The  growing  scarcity  of  pine  timber  in  the  more  accessible  pine 
belt  has  led  to  the  construction  of  tv^^o  railroads  into  the  county  from 
Aberdeen  on  the  Seaboard  Air  I^ine  railroad;  the  Aloore  count v  rail- 
road crossing  Browning  creek  near  the  county  line  of  Richmond 
county  and  taking  the  direction  of  Mt.  Gilead;  the  Aberdeen  and 
West  Knd  railroad  to  Camden  and  Star  with  a  branch  at  the  junction 
three  miles  below  Star,  seven  miles  to  Troy,  and  the  road  is  now  being 
graded  from  Star  to  Ashboro,  Randolph  county  and  v/ill  be  completed 
by  January,  '97,  bringing  the  fresh  forests  into  use  and  numerous 
mills  into  operation. 

Troy  is  the  count}^  seat,  and,  including  the  township,  contains 
1,500  inhabitants.  A  cotton  mill  and  sash  and  blind  factory  is  now 
being  built  at  Troy  and  other  enterprises  contemplated,  inducing 
thrift  and  progress.  Upon  the  completion  of  the  enterprises  now 
under  way,  Montgomery  will  have  three  cotton  mills,  numerous  saw 
mills,  roller  mills,  &c. 

Montgomery  county  contains  314,100  acres  of  land,  valued  at 
$897,772,  and  150  town  lots,  valued  at  $38,131. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — 805  horses;  995  mules;  152 
goats;  1,300  cattle;  6,000  hogs;  and  2,700  sheep. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  use,  $2,727.95;  pensions,  $591.33; 
schools,  $4,980.93;  county,  $3,611.02. 

Population — white,  8,982;  colored,  2,257;  total,  11,239. 

MOORE. 

Moore  county  lies  on  the  v^^estern  margin  of  the  long-leaf  pine 
belt.  Its  middle  and  southern  portions  belong  largely  to  the  class  of 
lands  called  "sand  hills."  The  northern  part  of  this  triangular 
territory  partakes  more  of  the  character  of  the  oak  uplands  agricul- 
tural division,  being  very  hilly  and  broken,  with  sandy  and  gravelly 
soil  on  the  higher  ridges,  having  a  mixed  oak  and  pine  growth,  and 
on  the  slopes  of  the  hills  partaking  of  the  character  of  clay  loams. 

Near  the  middle  (a  little  north  of  east),  as  well  as  in  the  south- 
western region,  and  in  the  eastern  one,  are  considerable  bodies  of 
level  and  rolling  upland  piny  woods.  These  are  the  best  cotton  soils. 
The  tributaries  of  the  Cape  Fear,  which  rise  along  the  southeastern 
section  of  the  county,  are  fringed  with  gum,  cj-press  and  juniper 
swamps,  and  on  many  of  the  streams,  large  and  small,  are  patches, 
and  sometimes  considerable  tracts,  of  alluvial  "  bottom  "  lands.  The 
agriculture  of  the  county  is  divided  between  cotton  and  grain  crops, 
and  recently  the  cultivation  of  peaches,  grapes  and  small  fruits  has 
produced  a  lucrative  diversion  in  the  agriculture;  but  the  lumber  and 
turpentine  interests  are  quite  important,  and  there  are  yet  large 
turpentine  forests  untouched. 

2i 


37°  North  Caroi^ina  and  its  Resources. 


A  broad  belt  of  the  "old  sea-basin  "  runs  diagonally  through 
the  county,  having  a  warm,  productive,  but  not  enduring  soil,  yet 
favorable  to  cotton  and  grain  and  fruits.  In  this  belt  are  found  valu- 
able qualities  of  sandstone,  attractive  in  color,  working  easily,  and 
very  durable.  Quarries  of  this  material  have  been  opened  in  sev- 
eral localities  and  the  stone  is  being  shipped  all  over  the  country. 

Gold  is  found  in  considerable  quantities  in  the  western  part  of 
the  county,  and  placer  mining  has  been  pursued  with  considerable 
success,  the  Cagle  mines  at  one  time  attracting  to  them  large  numbers 
of  miners  and  adventurers.  Valuable  quarries  of  millstone  grit  have 
long  been  worked  and  favorably  known,  and  on  the  waters  of  Deep 
river  are  large  deposits  of  finely  grained  and  richly  colored  soapstone 
or  talc. 

The  Cape  Fear  and  Yadkin  Valley  railroad  passes  through  the 
northeastern  part  of  the  county,  and  the  Raleigh  and  Augusta  Air- 
Ivine  passes  from  northeast  to  southwest,  following  nearly  parallel 
with  the  southeastern  boundary  of  the  county  through  its  whole 
length,  giving  ample  means  for  transportation,  and  stimulating  the 
growth  of  frequent  villages,  A  branch  road  of  ten  miles  connects 
the  Raleigh  and  Augusta  Air-I^ine  at  Cameron  with  Carthage,  the 
county  seat. 

At  Carthage  a  short  railroad  has  been  built  out  into  the  forests, 
called  the  Carthage  and  Western  railroad;  pine  timber  is  still 
abundant  in  this  part  of  the  county.  The  brownstone  is  inexhaus- 
tible, and  several  gold  mines  have  recently  been  opened,  with  good 
prospects;  there  are  indications  of  coal  recently  discovered;  the  lands 
here  are  adapted  to  the  growth  of  orchards  and  vineyards,  and  water 
power  is  plentiful  on  both  Deep  and  Little  rivers. 

Carthage  has  a  population  of  i,ooo,  Cameron  of  300,  Jonesboro, 
on  the  Cape  Fear  and  Yadkin  Valley  railroad,  of  850,  Manly  of  150, 
Aberdeen  of  965,  Keyser  of  150,  and  Sanford  of  850.  All  these  are 
new  villages  along  the  lines  of  the  railroads.  At  Sanford  two  sand- 
stone quarries  are  being  worked,  and  a  new  line  of  railroad  is  pro- 
jected uniting  Lillington  with  Sanford. 

In  the  southern  part  of  the  county  there  has  been  rapid  growth 
followed  by  a  healthy  business  development.  The  most  notable  points 
are  Manly,  Southern  Pines,  Pinehurst,  Aberdeen  and  Keyser.  From 
Aberdeen,  on  the  Seaboard  Air-Line,  several  short  railroads  have 
been  constructed:  the  Aberdeen  and  West  End,  touching  at  Pinehurst 
and  on  to  Troy  in  Montgomery  county  (38  miles);  the  Aberdeen  and 
Rockfish  road  running  east  thirteen  miles  into  Cumberland  county; 
the  Moore  county  railroad  from  Aberdeen  in  a  south-west  direction 
twelve  into  Montgomery  county.  Besides  these  six  miles  of  road 
operated  by  electricity  connect  Southern  Pines  with  Pinehurst.  In 
tv/o  of  the  southwestern  townships  no  less  than  2,500  acres  are  set  to 
peaches,  grapes,  and  small  fruits.  Annual  export  of  lumber  from  this 
section  of  the  county,  35,000,000  feet. 

Pinehurst  and  Southern  Pines  are  health  resorts,  and  the  popula- 
tion is  chiefly  composed  of  northern  and  eastern  people,  who  combine 
health- '^fetting  and  fruit-growing  with  excellent  results. 


Description  of  Counties.  371 

Moore  county  has — 499,706  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $1,338,825, 
and  4,799  town  lots,  valued  at  $326,695. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — 1,604  horses;  1,187  mules;  856 
goats;  10,380  cattle;  18,319  hogs;  and  9,571  sheep. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  use,  $5,362.31;  pensions,  $1,132.97; 
schools,  $10,383.53;  county,  $10,393.83. 

Population — white,  13,985;  colored,  6,494;  total,  20,479. 

NA5H. 

The  general  topographical  and  agricultural  features  of  Nash 
county  correspond  quite  closely  to  those  of  Halifax,  to  which  its 
situation  is  similar.  It  lies  south  of  that  count}',  and  also  on  the 
borders  of  the  oak  uplands  to  which  the  western  part  of  it  belongs. 
It  is  drained  for  the  most  part  by  the  Tar  river,  together  wath  several 
large  tributary  creeks,  along  which  are  narrow  strips  of  lowland  of 
alluvial  soil.  A  small  portion  of  this  lowland  has  been  reclaimed  and 
produces  large  crops  of  corn,  the  remainder  is  heavily  timbered  with 
its  original  forest.  The  divides  between  these  streams  through  the 
middle  and  eastern  portions  of  the  county  belong  to  the  region  of 
level  upland  piny  woods.  These  soils  are  generally  gray,  of  average 
fertility,  and  well  adapted  to  the  culture  of  cotton,  tobacco,  grain, 
peas,  potatoes,  grasses  and  clover.  This  county  lies  largely  within 
the  area  of  the  most  productive  cotton  and  tobacco  section  of  the 
State.  Marl  is  abundant  in  the  eastern  section,  but  has  not  been 
extensively  used.  The  count}^  is  well  timbered.  The  long  leaf  and 
short  leaf  pine,  red,  white  and  Spanish  oak,  blackjack,  hickory  and 
dogwood  are  the  predominant  varieties  on.  the  upland.  The  red, 
white  and  Spanish  oak,  water  oak,  cypress,  gum,  ash,  poplar  and 
maple  on  the  lowland. 

The  improved  farms  produce  from  three-iourths  to  one  and  one- 
fourth  bales  of  cotton  of  450  pounds,  and  from  thirty  to  forty  bushels 
of  corn  and  twenty  bushels  of  wheat  to  the  acre.  The  unimproved  from 
one-fourth  to  three-fourths  of  a  bale  of  cotton,  and  from  ten  to  twenty 
bushels  of  corn.  No  wheat  is  grown  on  the  unimproved  land  worthy 
of  mention.  Dairy  farming  is  also  of  some  importance;  from  two 
farms  on  the  gray  land  in  the  eastern  portion  of  the  county  over 
10,000  pounds  of  butter  was  made  and  sold  last  j^ear:  6,000  bales  of 
cotton  were  raised  in  the  county  last  year,  which  is  about  one-half  its 
former  production.  Of  tobacco,  5,500  acres  was  planted  in  1895, 
yielding  4,500,000  pounds.  Within  the  past  few  years  there  has 
been  rapid  development  in  the  cultivation  of  tobacco,  the  qualit}^ 
being  a  superior  bright  3'ellow.  So  encouraging  is  the  success  of  the 
industry,  and  so  suitable  the  soil,  that  tobacco  has  largely  superceded 
cotton.  Markets  have  been  established  near  at  hand — that  at  Rocky 
Mount  having  assumed  large  proportions.  A  nev/  market  was  estab- 
lished last  year  at  Nashville,  and  has  been  liberally  patronized. 
Below  are  given  the  exact  figures  of  the  number  of  pounds  and  prices 
per  pound  of  the  tobacco  sold  on  Rocky  Mount  market,  from  1S90  up 
to  April  ist,  1896. 


372  North  Caroi^ina  and  its  Resources. 


Year. 

1890 
1891 
1892 

1893 
1894 

1895 

Crop  in  Pounds. 

425,000 
1,125,000 
2,215,000 
3,500,000 

4,768,232 
7,239>87i 

19,273,103 

Average  Price. 
15c. 

12>^C. 
I2C. 
IXC. 
IOC. 

xo|c. 

Aggregate. 

$    63,750.00 
140,625.00 
265,800.00 
385,000.00 
476,283.20 
738,466.85 

6 

ii.75>^c. 

$2,069,925.05 

The  above  figures  do  not  give  the  re-sales  of  "  Pin  Hookers,"  if 
they  were  added  they  would  increase  the  amount  fully  one-half  million 
pounds. 

This  county  is  especially  favored  in  climate,  location  and  trans- 
portation facilities.  The  Wilmington  and  Weldon  road  runs  along 
it*  eastern  border,  with  a  branch  from  Rocky  Mount  to  Tarboro 
and  thence  to  Williamston;  and  the  Albemarle  and  Raleigh  railroad 
penetrates  the  county  as  far  as  Springhope.  Rocky  Mount  has 
become  a  great  railroad  center,  being  the  crossing  point  of  the  two 
great  railway  systems  of  the  South,  as  well  as  the  terminus  of  several 
smaller  roads. 

The  river,  at  its  falls,  near  Rocky  Mount,  affords  exhaustless 
water  power.  It  is  here  the  Battle  Cotton  factory  was  erected  about 
the  year  1816 — the  first  cotton  mill  built  and  operated  in  North  Caro- 
lina— yet  running  with  greatly  added  power  and  productiveness. 

Nash  county  was  once  famous  for  its  apple  orchards  and  its  apple 
brandy.  The  orchards  have  fallen  into  decay,  and  the  brandy  has 
little  more  than  local  reputation. 

The  gold  formation  which  characterizes  the  northeastern  corner  of 
Franklin  county  extends  over  into  the  adjacent  territory  of  Nash. 
The  Arrington  mine  is  the  only  one  in  active  operation  at  present. 
The  Argo  Mining  Co.  is  rapidly  erecting  additional  machinery  so  as 
to  give  its  milling  plant  a  capacity  of  120  tons  of  ore  per  day. 
This  ore  averages  $7.50  per  ton. 

Nashville  is  the  county  seat,  with  a  population  of  500.  Castalia 
has  a  population  of  175;  Springhope,  250;  Rocky  Mount,  (the  Nash 
portion)  has  a  population  of  500.  Near  this  place  is  situated  the 
Battle  Cotton  factory,  and  in  the  town  are  tobacco  sales  warehouses. 
An  improvement  company  has  recently  made  large  investments  in 
land  within  the  corporate  limits,  and  proposes  to  engage  in  extensive 
enterprises. 

The  county  has  335,534  acres  of  land,  valued  at  11,965,256;  and 
680  town  lots,  valued  at  $296,554. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — 1,589  horses;  1,560  mules;  1,119 
goats;  6,553  cattle;  23,416  hogs;  4,571  sheep. 

Product  of  taxation— for  State  uses,  $6,945.07;  pensions, 
$1,399.13;  schools,  $11,462.80;  county,  $9,598.51. 

Population — white,  12,186;  colored,  8,521;  total,  20,707. 

NEW  HANOVER. 

New  Hanover  is  one  of  the  smallest,  yet,  perhaps,  one  of  the  most 
important  counties  of  the  State.     Certainly  this  is  true  when  its  com- 


Description  op  Counties.  373 


mercial  importance  is  referred  to.  It  consists  of  a  triangular  wedge 
between  the  Cape  Fear  river  on  the  west,  and  the  Atlantic  coast  on 
the  east,  with  its  narrow  fringe  of  sounds,  marshes  and  sand  dunes. 
The  margins  of  the  streams  and  sounds  are  bordered  in  many  places 
by  strips  of  oak  and  pine  flats,  with  a  gray  silty  soil.  There  are 
tracts  of  alluvial  and  swampy  river  bottoms  along  the  Cape  Fear, 
which  produce  large  crops  of  rice.  These  are  cultivated  in  the  usual 
overflow  or  irrigating  process,  adopted  in  rice  culture  long  years  ago. 
There  are  other  lands  especially  valued  for  trucking  and  small  fruit 
growing.  The  county  contains  the  largest  city  in  the  state — Wil- 
mington. This  is  an  important  seaport,  and  has  a  large  foreign  and 
domestic  trade.  The  city  was  founded  in  1725,  and  has  been  the  seat 
of  culture  and  refinement  for  more  than  a  century.  Its  position  south 
of  the  dangerous  capes  makes  it  a  welcome  harbor  to  storm- 
tossed  seamen. 

On  the  bar  at  present,  at  mean  low  water,  there  is  a  depth  of  17.5 
feet  straight  channel,  or  18  feet  crooked  channel;  from  Wilmington  to 
the  bar  we  have  from  16.7  to  18  feet  at  low  water,  with  a  rise  of  4)^ 
feet.  This  enables  vessels  drawing  21.2  feet  to  pass  from  Wilmington 
to  sea,  or  vessels  drawing  22.5  feet  to  cross  the  bar. 

The  lower  waters  of  the  Cape  Fear  are  the  only  localities  in 
which  tidewater  rice  can  be  successfully  cultivated,  because  here 
alone  can  the  growing  crop  be  flooded  with  the  waters  of  a  full  fresh- 
water river  in  combination  with  the  flow  of  the  tide  from  the  sea. 
Rice  has,  therefore,  for  more  than  a  century, been  cultivated  here,  and 
its  culture  constituted  the  wealth  of  a  body  of  planters  noted  for 
their  intelligence,  their  social  culture,  their  intellectual  force  and 
accomplishments,  their  courage  and  their  public  spirit. 

The  soil  around  Wilmington  is  most  admirably  adapted  for  truck 
farming,  for  fruit  cultivation,  for  raising  stock  and  for  poultry.  The 
soil  is  light  and  loamy,  with  a  strong,  rich  clay  subsoil,  and  every 
kind  of  vegetable,  all  the  small  fruits,  pears,  peaches,  plums,  etc. 
thrive  and  are  profitably  grown.  The  strawberry  business  alone 
engages  the  attention  of  many  farmers,  and  besides  providing  for  the 
local  supply  are  shipped  to  northern  cities  during  the  season. 
Potatoes,  asparagus,  lettuce,  tomatoes,  blackberries,  whortleberries, 
are  only  some  of  the  sources  of  revenue  to  the  truck  farmer.  The 
season  here  being  about  two  weeks  ahead  of  Norfolk,  and  following 
after  the  Florida  crop  is  exhausted,  enables  the  shipment  of  goods  to 
advantage,  realizing  remunerative  prices,  with  a  home  market  to  fall 
back  upon  when  shipping  becomes  unprofitable.  Wilmington  has  a 
first-class  service  to  all  northern  cities,  the  railroads  running  through 
truck  trains  during  the  season;  it  is  also  in  easy  reach  of  the  large 
cities  of  the  west  and  northwest.  Proper  service  in  this  respect  is 
guaranteed,  as  the  lines  compete  for  the  business,  thus  insuring 
reasonable  terms  and  time. 

The  exceeding  mildness  of  the  winters,  the  cold  weather  not 
exceeding  two  months  in  duration,  makes  expensive  sheltering  of 
stock  unnecessary,  and  it  is  only  during  that  period  that  they  are  en- 
tirely dependent  upon  the  barn  for  food.     Grazing  is  possible  during  the 


374  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


other  ten  mouths  of  the  year.  The  native  grass  (crab)  furnishes  good 
grazing  and  makes  a  fine  hay.  The  feeding  during  the  two  months 
mentioned  is  comparatively  inexpensive,  as  supplies  can  be  had  from 
a  local  oil  mill  of  both  cotton  seed  meal  and  cotton  seed  husks, 
furnishing  a  cheap  and  nutritious  food.  The  raising  of  poultry  can 
also  be  made  successful  and  lucrative. 

On  the  coast,  and  in  the  Cape  Fear  there  are  profitable  fisheries, 
and  oysters  are  also  plentiful.  This  is  a  source  of  unending  revenue. 
A  half  million  pounds  of  fresh  fish  are  now  shipped  yearly,  but  this 
does  not  include  the  shipments  of  shad  (fresh)  nor  the  immense 
quantity  of  mullet  and  other  fish  which  are  barreled  and  salted.  A 
large  shipping  business  is  also  done  in  oysters  and  clams. 

Wilmington,  the  county  seat,  has,  by  the  census  of  1890,  a  popu- 
lation of  20,056.  There  has  been  considerable  growth  since  that  date. 
The  city  is  situated  on  the  east  side  of  the  Cape  Fear,  at  the  junction 
of  the  northwest  and  northeast  branches  of  the  river,  assuring  a 
deep,  safe  and  commodious  harbor,  vessels  able  to  cross  the  bar 
coming  up  directly  to  the  wharves,  a  distance  of  thirty  miles.  The 
harbor  is  resorted  to  by  vessels  of  every  nation  and  from  all  the  ports 
of  the  world.  The  exports  are  chiefly  cotton,  cotton  goods,  timber, 
lumber,  naval  stores,  and  numberless  miscellaneous  goods.  Cotton  is 
largely  exported  to  European  ports,  chiefly  in  steamers.  Naval  stores 
are  mostly  transported  in  Norwegian  and  German  vessels  of  the  class 
of  barks.  Domestic  or  coastwise  trade  is  carried  on  by  lines  of  steam- 
ers and  large  schooners.  There  are  annual  fluctuations  in  business 
from  various  causes.  The  President  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce 
makes  the  following  statement: 

The  receipts  for  the  year  ending  March  31,  1896,  compared  with  those  of 
the  year  before,  are  as  follows: 

1896.  1895- 

Spirits 46,553        45,954-     Increase  of      599  bbls. 

Rosin 205,137      198,170.  "  "    6,976      " 

Tar. 67,198        61,657.  "  "    5.541      " 

Crude 13.365        12,043.  "  "    1,322      " 

Cotton 165,977       235,296.    Decrease  of  69,319  bales. 

Shipment  of  lumber,  cotton,  peanuts,  cotton  goods,  pitch  and  shingles,  for 
the  year  ending  Dccembei  31,  1895,  as  compared  with  those  of  the  previous 
year,  are  as  follows: 

Lumber  35,888,031  feet,  against  35,323,412  feet,  increase  of  534,619  feet. 
Peanuts  77,889  bushels,  against  71,666  bushels,  increase  of  6,223  bushels. 
Cotton  goods  2,266  bales,  against  1,969  bales,  increase  of  297  bales. 
Pitch  2,965  barrels,  against  3,099  barrels,  decrease  of  134  barrels. 
Shingles  4,763,000,  against  5,091,963,  decrease  of  328,963. 
The  trade  of  our  city  is  good  and  is  improving.     We  have  three  substantial 
banks,  who  do  all  that  the  trade  can  expect  of   them.     The  railrords  are  doing 
better  for  us  than  ever  before.     Wilmington  has  been  placed  on   the   railroad 
tariffs  as  a  South  Atlantic  port;  and  the  railroads  leading  to  such  ports  from  the 
West  give  them  better  rates  than  ever  enjoyed  before. 

Wilmington  ranks  as  the  seventh  cotton  port  of  the  country,  hav- 
ing steadily  increased  its  handling  of  this  staple  for  several  years  past. 
The  cotton  is  shipped  to  all  parts  of  Europe,  as  well  as  to  northern 
cities.  That  which  is  shipped  to  foreign  ports  is  compressed,  the 
service  of  four  large  compresses  being  required  to  accomplish  proper 


Description  of  Counties.  375 


handling  of  the  entire  export.  The  cotton  for  domestic  points  is 
shipped  by  rail  and  steamship,  sometimes  compressed  and  sometimes 
in  original  bales,  but  all  that  for  export  is  compressed  and  is  shipped 
mainly  in  steamships  carrying  as  high  as  11,000  bales  in  one  cargo. 

In  addition  to  the  cotton  trade,  a  large  business  is  transacted  in 
naval  stores,  this  being  one  of  the  principal  markets  of  the  United 
States  for  that  product.  A  large  lumber  business  is  done  in 
Wilmington  and  in  the  country  tributary  to  it.  Between  20,000,000 
and  25,000,000  feet  of  hewn  timber  and  logs  were  received  here  last 
year.  There  are  several  large  lumber  mills  in  the  city,  whose  product 
goes  by  rail  to  many  interior  points,  and  by  vessel  to  both  domestic  and 
foreign  ports.  During  the  past  year  105  steamships  and  209  sailing 
vessels  cleared  from  this  port,  with  an  aggregate  tonnage  of  162,247 
tons. 

Recently  a  coal  supply  depot  has  been  located  at  Southport, 
twenty  miles  from  Wilmington,  at  the  mouth  of  the  river,  where 
Steamers  may  call  for  coal,  as  well  as  a  supply  had  for  those  bound  to 
or  from  this  port. 

Wilmington  has  a  direct  line  of  steamers  to  New  York,  and  it  is 
the  terminus  of  five  separate  railroads,  the  Carolina  Central,  under 
control  of  the  Seaboard  Air  Line;  the  Wilmington,  Columbia  & 
Augusta  and  the  Wilmington  &  Weldon,  under  control  of  the 
Atlantic  Coast  I^ine;  the  Cape  Fear  &  Yadkin  Valley,  and  the 
Wilmington,  New  Bern  &  Norfolk  railroads.  Besides  these  it  has  a 
railroad  extending  to  the  coast,  which  facilitates  the  handling  of  fish, 
oysters  and  other  marine  products,  which  are  brought  down  the 
sounds  in  small  craft. 

Wilmington  has  advantages  as  both  a  winter  and  summer  resort. 
There  are  two  beaches  within  easy  reach  of  the  cit}^,  and  daily 
Steamboat  connection  with  Southport  at  the  mouth  of  the  river.  Fish 
and  game  are  abundant  in  winter. 

New  Hanover  county  has  79,532  acres  of  land,  valued  at 
$615,055;  and  4,266  town  lots,  valued  at  $4,784,993. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — 676  horses;  237  mules;  408  goats; 
1,887  cattle;  2,579  hogs;  and  148  sheep. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  use,  $15,553.14;  pensions, 
$2,660.65;  schools,  $18,718.57;  county,  $38,860.05. 

Population — white,  10,089;  colored,  13,937;  total  24,026. 

NORTHAMPTON. 

Northampton  county  lies  between  the  Virginia  border  and  the 
Roanoke  river.  Its  soils  belong  to  the  general  region  of  level  piny 
uplands,  merging  toward  the  western  limit  into  oak  uplands  and  a 
more  hilly  surface,  with  an  elevation  of  150  feet  above  sea-level.  Its 
numerous  streams  have  general  fringes  of  oak  flats,  alluvions,  or  gum 
and  cypress  swamps,  and  the  Roanoke  river  has  in  its  extensive 
"bottoms"  some  of  the  best  corn  lands  in  the  State. 

The  product  of  cotton  in  Northampton  is  large  in  view  of  its  rela- 
tively high  latitude,  reaching  annually  between  10,000  and  15,000 
bales.     Corn  has  alwaj^s  been  a  leading  crop,  especially  on  the  rich 


376  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


lands  of  the  Roanoke,  which,  however,  are  seriously  exposed  to  the 
disasters  of  occasional  overflow.  Only  a  small  quantity  of  tobacco  is 
now  reported  as  being  cultivated. 

Northampton  county  is  connected  by  railway  by  the  Petersburg 
and  Weldon  railroad  with  Petersburg,  Va.,  and  by  the  Seaboard  and 
Roanoke  road  with  Portsmouth,  Va.,  audit  has  good  navigation  down 
the  Roanoke  from  the  falls  below  Weldon.  The  first  railroads  built 
in  North  Carolina  passed  through  this  county. 

Jackson,  the  county  seat,  has  750  inhabitants,  Rich  Square  650, 
and  Woodland  250. 

There  is  some  attention  given  to  the  production  of  early  truck  for 
shipment,  and  peanuts  are  grown  to  some  extent. 

Northampton  county  has  319,241  acres  of  land,  valued  at 
$1,695,969,  and  250  town  lots  valued  at  $93,695. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — 2,313  horses;  1,097  mules;  223 
goats;  10,044  cattle;  25,582  hogs;  3,230  sheep. 

Product  of  taxation — forState  use,  $7,017.51;  pensions,  $1,231.20; 
schools,  $10,654.23;  county,  $8,707.82. 

Population — white,  9,224;  colored,  12,018;  total,  21,242. 

ONSLOW. 

Onslow  county  resembles  in  large  degree  the  adjoining  counties 
of  Carteret  and  Jones.  Nearly  one-half  of  the  White  Oak  swamp 
lies  in  its  northern  section,  and  from  it  flow  most  of  the  streams  by 
which  the  northern  portion  of  the  county  is  drained.  Some  of  the 
best  agricultural  lands  of  the  county  lie  along  the  margin  of  this 
swamp.  A  great  part  of  it  is  drained  southward  into  New  river, 
which  traverses  the  entire  length  of  the  county  from  north  to  south. 
This  river,  for  one-half  of  its  length,  is  a  broad,  navigable  bay,  from 
one  to  three  miles  wide,  and  is  famous  for  its  fine  oysters  and  fish. 
On  both  sides  of  it  are  large  tracts  of  upland  piny  woods,  with  gray 
sandy  soils,  which  are  admirably  adapted  to  the  production  of  cotton. 
Nearer  the  sea-coast  the  soils  are  more  sandy,  and  are  covered  with 
long-leaf  pines  as  their  principal  growth,  a  similar  large  tract  occupy- 
ing its  northwestern  section.  There  are  numerous  narrow  fringes  of 
cypress  swamps  along  the  various  streams.  A  portion  of  the  south- 
western side  of  this  county  is  penetrated  by  the  Holly  Shelter  pocoson. 
The  productions  of  this  county  are  similar  to  those  of  Jones, 

Jones  and  Osislow  were  settled  early  in  the  eighteenth  century  by 
French  Huguenots  and  German  Palatinates;  their  descendants  to  this 
day  are  fine  types  of  both  races;  and  the  names  of  their  ancestors  are 
still  preserved  in  their  families.  There  is  a  large  body  of  land  lying 
in  these  two  counties  known  as  the  White  Oak  swamp.  It  covers  an 
area  of  eighty-six  thousand  acres.  On  its  borders  it  is  one  of  the 
heaviest  timber  tracts  in  the  Atlantic  States.  The  oaks  are  of  huge 
dimensions,  unknown  in  northern  climes:  the  pines  are  of  enormous 
girth,  and  frequently  attain  a  height  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet, 
the  poplars  and  cypress  are  also  of  huge  dimensions.  This  body  of 
swamp  lands  belong  to  the  School  Fund  of  the  State.  This  region 
— an    open    savannah — affords   immense    pasture  grounds    of  good 


Description  of  Counties.  377 


succulent  reeds.  The  Quaker  Bridge  road  traverses  this  body  of 
fine  land. 

The  coasts  of  Onslow  are  lined  with  the  "  Banks,"  from  which 
they  are  separated  by  sounds  of  from  a  half  a  mile  to  two  miles  in 
width,  and  of  depth  only  navigable  for  small  vessels.  Through  these 
banks,  generally  opposite  a  stream  making  out  from  the  mainland, 
there  is  a  break  or  inlet,  with  a  shifting  bar  of  from  three  to  nine  feet 
deep,  and  through  this  give  access  to  the  inner  waters.  Within  the 
bars  and  up  these  streams  is  the  great  store  of  fish  and  oysters  now 
engaging  public  attention  and  the  care  of  legislation.  The  finest 
oysters  on  the  continent  are  found  here. 

The  soil  of  Onslow  is  productive  in  cotton,  corn,  peas,  potatoes, 
and  is  especially  favorable  to  the  perfection  of  the  ground-pea  or  pea- 
nut, which,  in  the  decomposed  shelly  soils  in  the  vicinity  of  the  coast, 
claims  the  chief  attention  of  the  farmers  and  constitutes  the  most 
profitable  crop. 

The  Wilmington,  New  Bern  &  Norfolk  railroad  connects  the 
county  with  both  Wilmington  and  New  Bern. 

Jacksonville,  the  county  seat,  contains  400  inhabitants  and  Rich- 
lands  200. 

New  river,  lying  almost  wholly  in  the  county,  is  perhaps  the 
largest  river  in  proportion  to  its  length  in  the  world,  and  is  a  stream 
of  exceptional  beauty  among  the  eastern  waters.  Along  it  and  its 
tributaries  are  fine  bodies  of  pine  and  hard  woods,  and  at  Jackson- 
ville, is  located  the  large  plant  of  the  Parmele-Eccleston  Lumber 
Co.,  one  of  the  most  complete  equipments  to  be  found  in  the  State, 
with  a  daily  capacity  of  some  125,000  feet.  A  few  miles  down  the 
river  from  Jacksonville  is  the  Glenoe  Model  Farm  of  Mr.  Thomas 
Mclntyre;  this  is  a  charming  location  and  presents  most  vividly  the 
possibilities  of  development  for  that  whole  region. 

Onslow  county  has  320,439  acres  of  land  valued  at  $975,493;  and 
183  town  lots,  valued  at  $60,810. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — 874  horses;  722  mules;  381  goats; 
7,170  cattle;   19,550  hogs;  4,504  sheep. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  use,  $3,318.56;  pensions,  $695.95; 
school,  5,933.29;  county,  $7,997.25. 

Population — white,  7,392;  colored,  2,911;  total,  10,303. 

ORANGE. 

Orange  county,  historically,  is  one  of  the  most  interesting 
counties  in  the  State.  It  was  formed  about  the  year  1752,  and  its 
healthfulness  and  the  richness  of  its  soil  soon  made  it  populous  and 
prosperous.  It  took  a  very  decided  part  in  the  troubles  that  led  to 
Tryon's  suppression  of  the  opposition  of  the  Regulators,  and  also  in 
the  war  of  the  Revolution.  It  was  in  this  county  that  lyord  Corn- 
wallis  prepared  himself  for  the  struggle  at  Guilford  Court  House;  and 
it  was  at  its  county  seat  (Hillsboro)  that  the  convention  to  discuss 
the  Constitution  submitted  to  the  States  for  ratification  was  held;  and 
for  generations  the  county  was  noted  for  the  prominence  of  its  public 
men. 


378  North  Caroi^ina  and  its  Resources. 


This  county  is  at  an  elevation  of  about  600  feet  above  the  sea. 
The  climate  is  remarkably  healthful  and  free  from  malaria.  The 
winters  are  very  mild  and  the  summers  are  not  oppressive.  The 
county  is  rolling,  and  is  well  drained  by  natural  streams.  The 
products  are  corn,  wheat,  oats,  cotton,  rye,  barley,  grass,  tobacco 
and  potatoes.  The  soil  is  especially  adapted  to  the  raising  of  fine- 
grade  tobacco,  wheat,  hay  and  potatoes.  Cattle,  horses,  hogs,  sheep 
and  goats  are  easily  raised  and  thrive  here.  Apples,  pears,  peaches, 
grapes,  plums  and  figs  grow  in  the  greatest  abundance  and  of  fine 
quality.  There  is  a  large  and  grovv^ing  industry  in  drying  fruits  and  also 
in  shipping  them  fresh  to  the  northern  markets.  Deposits  of  gold  and 
iron  are  found  all  through  the  county.  The  Iron  mountain,  near 
Chapel  Hill,  contains  inexhaustible  ores  of  excellent  quality.  Soap- 
stone  and  whetstone  quarries  of  the  finest  grain  exist  in  large  deposits. 

The  southeastern  section  of  the  county  is  drained  by  the  tribu- 
taries of  the  Cape  Fear  river,  and  has  a  low,  undulating  tract  of  land, 
with  gray  and  yellow  sandy  and  clay  loam  soils  and  mixed  oak  and 
pine  forests.  The  larger  part  of  this  county  is  characterized  by  oak 
forests  and  red-clay  soils,  with  an  intermixture  in  the  poorer  sections 
and  on  the  slaty  hills  of  short  leaf  pine.  The  region  described  as 
slate  hills  is  characterized  mainly  by  a  gray  gravelly  loam  soil. 
Cotton  is  cultivated  to  considerable  extent,  the  crop  reaching  about 
2,000  bales  a  year.  It  has  long  had  pre-eminence,  along  with  that  of 
Anson  county,  of  being  the  best  upland  cotton  raised  in  the  United 
States.  Tobacco  is  a  large  and  valuable  crop,  much  of  it  being  "bright 
yellow."     The  crop  averages  about  1,000,000  pounds  annually. 

The  University  of  North  Carolina  is  located  at  Chapel  Hill,  in 
this  county. 

At  Hillsboro,  in  the  old  Military  Academy,  the  Farmers'  Alliance 
has  established  headquarters;  a  great  tannery  is  being  built,  and  also 
a  large  shoe  factory.  Other  industries  are  to  be  added.  At  Hillsboro 
there  is  being  built  a  cotton  factory,  and  a  barrel-stave  factory  is  in 
operation.  Near  this  place  is  the  famous  Occoneechee  farm  and  dairy, 
the  property  of  Mr.  J.  S.  Carr.  Mr.  B.  N.  Duke  has  a  fine  stock  farm 
near  University  Station.  These  are  models  in  the  way  of  farms  and 
illustrate  most  forcibly  the  adaptability  of  the  soil  and  climate  to  the 
highest  forms  of  agriculture. 

Hillsboro,  the  county  seat  is  on  the  N.  C.  railroad,  and  has  a 
population  of  900.  Chapel  Hill,  connected  by  rail  at  University 
Station,  has  a  population  of  1,000. 

Orange  county  has  243,482  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $1,106,515; 
and  423  town  lots,  valued  at  $254,125. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — 2,020  horses;  924  mules;  201 
goats;  4,998  cattle;  8,493  hogs;  3,478  sheep. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  uses  $4,490.45;  pensions,  $885.38; 
schools,  $8,237.01;  county,  $8,041.75. 

Population — white,  9,705;  colored,  5,243;  total,  14,943. 

PAMLICO. 

This  county  was  formed  from  the  counties  of  Craven  and  Beaufort. 
It  is  penetrated  to  the  interior  by  an  arm  of  Pamlico  sound  called  Bay 


Description  of  Counties.  379 


river,  and  also  by  a  stream  (Broad  creek),  both  navigable  for  vessels 
drawing  eight  feet  of  water.  It  is  washed  on  the  south  side  by  the 
waters  of  Neuse  river,  on  the  east  by  the  Pamlico  sound,  and  on  the 
north  by  Pamlico  river.  By  far  the  larger  portion  of  the  county  is  in 
forest,  there  being  only  about  one-tenth  of  the  land  under  cultivation. 

The  land  mostly  is  very  fertile,  underlaid  with  shell  marl  which 
is  found  from  two  to  eight  feet  below  the  surface.  The  soil  is 
generally  deep  black  and  gray,  the  former  from  one  to  two  feet  deep 
and  underlaid  with  a  strata  of  stiff  clay  under  which  the  marl  may  be 
found.  The  gray  soil  is  from  six  to  twelve  inches  deep,  with  a  sub- 
soil of  clay  underlaid  by  marl.  Some  portions  of  the  county  have 
sandy  lands,  which  are  generally  timbered  with  long-leaf  or  pitch  pine, 
still  in  its  virgin  or  unbled  state.  The  timber  growth  of  the  county 
includes  pine,  poplar,  ash,  gum,  oak,  holly,  beech,  maple,  cypress  and 
juniper;  all  good  merchantable  timber.  The  drainage  of  these  lands 
is  easy  as  innumerable  small  streams  make  out  from  the  Neuse, 
Pamlico  and  Bay  rivers,  and  also  from  Pamlico  sound,  which  penetrate 
the  heart  of  the  forests  with  sufficient  fall,  ten  to  fifty  feet,  to  effective- 
ly drain  the  lands  for  agricultural  purposes.  These  lands  are  adapted 
to  the  growth  of  corn,  cotton,  potatoes,  peas,  tobacco,  rice  &c.  The 
average  of  the  following  crops  are  well  established:  corn,  eight  to  ten 
barrels;  seed  cotton,  one  to  two  thousand  pounds,  and  potatoes,  200  to 
600  bushels.  The  cleared  lands  sell  from  $40  to  $100  an  acre,  while 
the  forest  lands,  just  as  good,  bring  only  from  $5  to  ^20  an  acre, 
according  to  location  and  market  advantages.  There  are  good  schools 
and  churches,  accessible  to  every  neighborhood.  The  citizens  are 
hardy,  intelligent  and  prosperous,  and  give  a  hearty  welcome  to  all 
worthy  new-comers. 

There  are  three  flourishing  villages  situated  on  Bay  river — Stone- 
wall, Bayboro  and  Vandemere.  Bayboro  is  the  county  seat,  and  has 
a  population  of  300. 

The  county  has  no  railroad,  and  depends  for  its  transportation 
altogether  on  the  water.  But  in  this  it  has  magnificent  advantages, 
for  its  situation  is  nearly  insular,  and  the  broad  estuary  of  Bay  river 
nearly  bisects  it.  This  body  of  water  is  noted  for  its  fine  oysters,  and 
all  the  shores  abound  in  fish. 

Pamlico  county  has  152,937  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $408,208;  and 
157  town  lots,  valued  at  $28,415. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — 610  horses;  364  mules;  203  goats; 
4,080  cattle;  8,947  hogs;  and  1,482  sheep. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  use,  $1,391.86;  pensions,  $330.03; 
schools,  $2,982.16;  county,  $7,046.95 

Population — white,  4,767;  colored,  2,379;  total,  7,146. 

PASQUOTANK. 

Pasquotank  is  a  long,  narrow  strip  of  territory,  parallel  to  Cam- 
den county,  and  is  of  similar  topographical  situation  and  agricultural 
features.  It  is  bordered  eastward  and  westward  by  two  bay -like  arms 
of  the  sound,  Pasquotank  river  and  I^ittle  river,  both  of  which  take 
their  rise  in  the  Great  Dismal  swamp.     The  upper   and   middle  por- 


380  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


tions,  therefore,  belong  to  the  general  description  of  swampy  land  and 
semi-swamps.  Near  the  streams  there  are  generally  strips  of  swamp 
proper,  with  gum,  cypress  and  juniper  forests,  but  farther  from  them 
are  semi-swamps  and  oak  and  pine  flats,  with  oak,  hickory,  short-leaf 
pine,  ash,  maple,  black  gum  and  holly.  These  lands  are  of  great 
fertility.  The  southern  end  of  the  peninsula  on  the  sound  is,  as 
usual,  sandy,  piny  woods.  Much  cotton  is  produced,  and  lumbering 
still  constitutes  an  item  of  consequence,  as  in  all  these  Albemarle 
counties.  Truck  farming  is  also  assuming  large  proportions,  and  the 
raising  of  early  potatoes  for  the  northern  market  has  become  one  of 
the  most  profitable  industries.  All  these  Albemarle  counties  have 
unlimited  facilities  for  transportation  through  their  numerous  bays, 
rivers  and  sounds,  which  are  connected  with  Norfolk  harbor  through 
the  Dismal  Swamp  and  Albemarle  &  Chesapeake  canals,  and  also  by 
railway. 

The  great  water  facilities  possessed  by  Pasquotank  county,  the 
existence  of  railroad  communication,  and  also  canal  navigation  through 
the  Dismal  swamp,  both  to  Norfolk,  and  thence  to  the  Northern 
cities,  together  with  the  favor  of  soil  and  climate,  have  given  great 
impetus  to  truck  farming,  which,  at  many  points,  has  superceded 
other  agricultural  interests.  The  same  facilities  of  transportation  give 
activity  to  the  business  of  shipping  fish  on  ice,  and  during  the  fishing 
season  the  animation  is  unceasing. 

Elizabeth  City,  the  county  seat,  has  a  population  of  3,500. 
Favorably  situated  on  Pasquotank  river,  at  the  head  of  navigation, 
also  at  the  southern  end  of  the  Dismal  Swamp  canal,  being  traversed 
by  the  railroad  from  Norfolk  to  Edenton,  it  possesses  advantages  it  is 
prompt  to  improve.  Its  commerce  is  large,  and  its  lumber  and  fish- 
ing interest  is  very  great,  and  the  trucking  business  is  likewise  large 
and  annually  increasing  in  volume. 

Work  is  now  in  progress,  enlarging  the  old  Dismal  Swamp  Canal 
into  a  ship  channel,  which,  when  completed,  will  give  a  new  impetus  to 
the  commerce  and  business  of  the  section.  Irately  attention  has  been 
turned  to  the  culture  of  the  cranberry,  found  wild  in  abundance,  and 
which  promises  to  become  a  source  of  revenue  to  the  county.  Locally, 
the  trucking  interest  covers  the  interval  between  the  New  Bern  and 
Norfolk  crops,  and  good  lands  for  the  purpose  may  be  had  at  less  cost 
than  at  either  of  these  points. 

Pasquotank  county  has  136,960  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $673,017, 
and  1,255  town  lots,  valued  at  $649,4.39. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — 1,713  horses;  473  mules;  473 
goats;  3,987  cattle;  9,207  hogs;   1,731  sheep. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  use,  $4,096.50;  pensions,  $804.83; 
schools,  $6,440;  county,  $9,471.66. 

Population — white,  5,201;  colored,  5,547;  total,   10,748. 

PENDER. 

Pender  county  is  bounded  in  part  on  the  south  by  the  Atlantic 
Ocean,  with  its  fringe  of  sounds,  marshes,  and  dunes,  and  is  drained 
southward  by  the  waters  of  the  northeast  Cape  Fear  river.  Holly 
Shelter  pocoson  occupies  a  large  part  of  the  southeastern  section,  and 


Description  of  Counties.  381 


from  it  flow  numerous  creeks  into  the  above  mentioned  river,  while 
others  flow  directly  into  the  Atlantic.  The  central  portion  and  larger 
part  of  this  great  pocoson,  which  contains  about  one  hundred  square 
miles,  is  very  nearly  barren,  but  around  its  margin,  especially  toward 
the  river,  are  considerable  tracts  of  white-oak  flats,  canebrake,  and 
swamp  lands,  with  their  characteristic  growths  and  soils.  In  the 
northeastern  section  lies  the  half  of  another  similar  pocoson  nearly  as 
large,  called  Angola  Bay,  and  in  the  centre  of  the  western  half  of  the 
county  is  a  third  but  much  smaller  swamp  of  the  same  general 
character.  The  western  side  of  the  county  for  the  breadth  of  from  six 
to  eight  miles  belongs  to  the  region  of  upland  piny  woods,  the 
principal  growth  being  long-leaf  pine,  with  an  undergrowth  of  oaks, 
hickory,  dogwood,  etc.,  and  a  sandy  soil;  but  some  of  it  approaches 
the  character  of  the  regular  "sandhills,"  with  pine  and  oak  flats 
here  and  there.  Along  the  streams  are  generally  alluvial  belts  or 
swamps  and  oak  flats,  which  are  the  corn  lands  of  the  county.  A 
savannah  of  several  square  miles  is  found  in  the  upper  end  of  the 
county,  which  merges  northward  into  a  barren  pocoson  of  still  greater 
extent.  Marl  abounds  in  all  parts  of  the  county,  and  eocene  lime- 
stone is  found  along  the  principal  river  above  named.  These  add 
greatly  to  its  agricultural  advantages. 

The  cotton  product  is  inconsiderable;  the  remaining  products  are 
corn,  rice,  potatoes,  lumber,  naval  stores  and  trucks. 

The  presence  of  marl  and  of  the  eocene  limestone,  especially 
along  the  western  margin  of  the  northeast  river,  is  indicated  by  the 
vigorous  forest  growth  of  hardwood  trees,  and  when  they  are  removed 
by  the  generous  response  of  the  soil  to  cultivation.  The  locality 
known  as  Rocky  Point  very  early  drew  attention  to  it  from  its 
exuberant  fertility,  and  for  more  than  a  century  and  a  half  has  been 
noted  for  its  exhaustless  productiveness.  In  recent  years  this  section 
of  Pender  has  been  advantageously  applied  to  truck  farming  in  all  its 
branches,  early  vegetables  of  all  kinds,  small  fruits  and  berries 
maturing  at  a  period  so  early  as  to  bring  them  on  the  northern 
markets  in  quick  succession  to  the  early  crops  of  the  more  southern 
States. 

The  Wilmington  and  Weldon  railroad  passes  through  the  county 
from  north  to  south,  and  the  northwest  and  northeast  branches,  of  the 
Cape  Fear  river,  and  Black  river,  provide  ample  avenues  for  trans- 
portation. The  Wilmington,  New  Bern  and  Norfolk  railroad  passes 
through  the  southeastern  part  of  the  county,  and  the  Cape  Fear  and 
Yadkin  Valley  railroad  through  the  southwestern  part.  The  building 
of  the  former  has  enhanced  the  value  of  property  along  the  seacoast, 
and  extended  the  trucking  area  of  the  county. 

Burgaw,  the  county  seat,  has  a  population  of  375,  and  Point 
Caswell  and  Lillington,  villages,  have  respectively  populations  of  150 
and  go. 

Pender  county  has  358,829  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $819,550,  and 
240  town  lots,  valued  at  $41,850. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are  615  horses,  580  mules,  6,320  cattle, 
16,880  hogs,  4,383  sheep,  and  1,286  goats. 


382  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  use,  $2,505.01;  pensions,  $556.48; 
schools,  $5,699.46;  county,  $3,820.82. 

Population — white,  5,967;  colored,  6,547;  total,  12,514. 

PERQUIMANS. 

Perquimans  county  is  in  every  respect  twin  to  Pasquotank,  and 
northward  it  reaches  the  Great  Dismal  swamp.  A  considerable  per- 
centage of  the  surface  of  Perquimans  is  occupied  by  what  is  com- 
monly called  swamp  land,  though  for  the  most  part  it  is  drainable  and 
cultivatable.  lyarge  areas  of  these  lands  have  been  reclaimed,  and 
constitute  some  of  the  most  fertile  and  valuable  lands  in  the  county, 
and  they  are  admirably  well  suited  to  the  production  of  early  market 
trucks.  These  swamp  lands,  which  are  better  described  as  semi- 
swamps  and  oak  and  pine  flats,  are  a  repetition  of  those  before 
described,  and  have  a  similar  soil,  which  varies  from  a  fine  gray  loam 
to  a  dark  mucky  soil  of  high  fertility.  Along  the  Perquimans  river, 
which  is  an  arm  of  Albemarle  sound,  lie  in  a  southeasterly  direction 
narrow  zones  of  cypress  swamps,  beyond  which,  northward  and 
southward,  are  narrow  tracts  of  sandy  soil,  v/ith  forests  mainly  of  pine. 
These  pine  tracts,  which  occupy  the  divides  between  the  streams, 
project  in  the  form  of  promontories  into  the  margin  of  the  sound. 
The  pines,  cj^press  and  juniper  timber  gives  employment  to  a  large 
number  of  mills,  which  annually  turn  out  large  quantities  of  valuable 
lumber.  These  promontories,  extending  between  sheets  of  navigable 
water,  deeply  indenting  the  land,  offer  uncommon  facilities  to  the 
farmer,  who  has  transportation  for  his  produce  ready  at  hand,  and 
the  richness  of  the  soil  and  mildness  of  the  climate  assures  him  of 
large  returns  for  his  labor.  The  numerous  waterways,  and  the  pas- 
sage of  railroad  through  such  an  extent  of  the  county,  has  greatly 
promoted  the  trucking  business,  the  market  of  New  York  being  at  no 
greater  distance  than  is  overcome  in  a  trip  of  twenty-four  hours. 
The  same  facilities  favor  the  fishing  interests.  The  shores  of  all  the 
rivers,  bays  and  creeks  abound  with  shad,  herring,  rock  and 
other  fish. 

Hertford,  the  county  seat,  has  a  population  of  about  1,000. 

Perquimans  county  has  142, 199  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $703,687, 
and  315  town  lots,  valued  at  $134,905. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — 1,472  horses;  587  mules;  617 
goats;  5,165  cattle;   11,358  hogs,  and  1,969  sheep. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  use,  $3,029.10;  pensions,  $600.45; 
schools,  $4,873.58;  county,  $4,097.27. 

Population — white,  4,719;  colored,  4,574;  total,  9,^93. 

PERSON. 

Person  county  belongs  to  the  bright  tobacco  section  known  as  the 
"Golden  Belt"  of  North  Carolina. 

The  county  is  twenty  miles  square  and  is  divided  into  nine  town- 
ships. 

Near  the  middle  of  it  rise  several  low  mountain  ridges  of  granite 
and   slate,  with   oak  and  pine  forests.     These  attain  an  altitude  of 


D:^CRiPTiON  OP  Counties.  3S3 


about  1,000  feet  (the  general  elevation  being  from  600  to  700  feet)  and 
have  a  thin  gravelly  and  sandy  soil,  while  the  other  sections  are  alter- 
nately of  this  character  and  of  red  clay  soils  of  greater  fertility.  To 
the  latter  class  belongs  especially  the  northwestern  and  southeastern 
sections. 

The  chief  agricultural  interest  is  the  production  of  tobacco  of  a 
high  grade,  in  which  industry  this  is  one  of  the  leading  counties. 
To  this  crop  the  light  sandy  soils  are  particularly  adapted.  These 
light  soils  with  a  yellow  porous  subsoil,  are  best  for  bright  smokers 
and  wrappers,  and  these  are  surpassed  by  no  other  county  in  the  State. 
The  southern  side  of  the  county  most  abounds  in  these  soils,  but  in 
the  northern  section  among  the  high  rolling  lands  of  Hyco  river,  the 
product  is  equally  abundant  and  in  no  way  inferior.  The  Hyco  river 
lands  are  adapted  to  the  growth  of  corn  and  grain,  and  the  grasses,  as 
well  as  the  fine  3"ellow  tobacco  for  which  Person  is  celebrated.  The 
crop  of  tobacco  is  3,000,000  pounds,  when  a  full  crop  is  planted  and 
there  is  a  good  season  for  cultivating  and  harvesting.  Wheat,  corn, 
clover,  oats,  vegetables  and  all  grasses  thrive.  A  perfect  climate  above 
a  fertile  soil  yields  to  the  husbandman  an  ample  reward  for  his  labor. 

The  mineral  riches  are  confined  to  copper,  mines  of  which  are 
found  in  the  northeastern  corner  of  the  county;  the  veins  extending 
over  into  Granville  are  believed  to  be  of  great  value.  Iron  ores  of 
value  are  found  in  the  Mt.  Tirzah  township,  and  have  been  turned  to 
profitable  account,  especially  during  the  war,  when  they  supplied 
castings  for  household  and  farm  use.  There  is  also  in  Cuningham 
township,  iron  ore  of  excellent  quality,  and  mineral  water  that  has 
proved  ef&cacious  in  a  number  of  cases.  There  are  two  mountains  in 
the  count5^  The  elevation  of  Person  makes  it  the  fountain-head 
of  the  tributaries  to  the  Neuse  and  Tar  rivers,  and  streams  flowing 
northward  into  Dan  river. 

The  I^ynchburg  and  Durham  railroad  passes  through  the  county. 

Roxboro,  the  county  seat  has  a  population  of  over  1,000  and  is 
rapidly  growing.  It  is  one  of  the  leading  tobacco  markets  of  the  State, 
and  sells  from  five  to  six  millions  pounds  annually;  handling  the 
product  of  this  and  adjoining  counties  in  North  Carolina  and  Virginia. 

The  beautiful  residences,  mammoth  warehouses,  tobacco  factories 
and  stores  and  other  buildings,  numbers  of  which  are  of  brick,  attest 
the  enterprise  and  progress  of  the  people. 

The  people  of  the  county  are  believers  in  education,  and  besides 
the  common  schools  which  are  well  patronized,  there  are  several  high 
schools  of  repute. 

The  Roxboro  Institute  is  in  a  flourishing  condition,  and  the 
Bethel  Hill  Institute  stands  high,  not  only  in  the  central  section,  but 
all  over  the  State. 

Person  county  is  one  of  the  wealthiest  counties  of  North  Carolina, 
and  the  people  are  industrious,  hospitable  and  kind  to  visitors,  and 
extend  a  cordial  welcome  to  good  immigration,  and  ofier  them  superior 
advantages  to  make  their  future  homes  here. 

I^ochlily  is  famous  for  fishing,  and  fish  weighing  as  high  as  fifteen 
to  twenty-six  pounds  have  been  caught  in  its  waters. 


384  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


There  are  hickory  trees  in  the  county  over  ten  feet  in  circumfer- 
ence, and  walnut  ten  feet. 

Person  county  has  239,179  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $996,765;  and 
309  town  lots,  valued  at  $172,037. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — 2,026  horses;  994  mules;  4,336 
cattle;  8,691  hogs;  2,702  sheep. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  use,  $4,199.12;  pensions,  $§75.02; 
schools,  $7,487.58;  county,  $5,926.34. 

Population — white,  8,251;  colored,  6,900;  total,  15,151. 

PITT. 

This  county  lies  west  of  the  county  of  Beaufort  and  is  penetrated 
its  whole  length  by  Tar  river,  which  is  navigable  at  all  seasons  for 
light  draft  steamers.  The  soil  is  extremely  varied,  probably  more  so 
than  in  any  other  county  of  the  Pamlico  section.  In  the  eastern  part 
on  the  south  side  of  the  Tar  river,  adjoining  Beaufort  county,  the 
soil  may  be  characterized  as  a  light  sandy  loam,  with  a  greyish  clay 
subsoil.  In  the  upper  part,  or  rather  the  northwestern  part,  the  soil 
is  generally  underlaid  with  a  stiff  red  claj^;  immediately  on  the  left 
or  the  north  side  of  Tar  river,  the  lands  lying  along  the  river  the 
entire  length  of  the  county  east  and  west  are  of  a  more  distinctive 
character,  of  a  light  sandy  loam.  Farther  north,  toward  the  Martin 
county  line,  they  assume  a  different  character  and  are  what  may  be 
classed  as  a  heavy  loam.  There  are  also  bodies  of  swamp  lands 
cleared  that  partake  of  the  fertility  characteristic  of  that  class  of 
lands  in  eastern  Carolina.  The  soil  of  the  county  is  generally  fer- 
tile and  yield  excellent  crops  of  cotton,  corn,  oats  and  rye.  Cotton 
is  at  present  the  most  important  crop,  the  annual  yield  being  from 
12,000  to  16,000  bales.  The  land  is  productive  in  every  other  sub- 
ject of  culture — corn,  wheat,  rice,  peas,  potatoes — and  the  whole  soil 
being  underlaid  with  marl,  perpetual  fertility  is  assured.  Fruits 
thrive  luxuriantly,  and  nowhere  is  the  grape  more  prolific  or  more 
certain  in  its  yield.  The  finest  varieties  of  native  grapes  have  origi- 
nated here,  among  them  that  new  choice  variety  of  the  Viiis  Vulpina, 
the  James  grape,  a  black  variety  of  the  scuppernong,  but  larger  and 
better  flavored,  and  bearing  transportation  better. 

During  the  last  five  years,  Pitt  county  has  enjoyed  a  material 
development  that  is  most  encouraging.  Since  1890,  many  latent 
industries  have  sprung  into  existence,  and  there  are  to-day  manufac- 
turing enterprises  of  various  kinds  which  give  profitable  employment 
to  our  people.  Exclusive  cotton  growing  has  been  abandoned,  and 
instead  of  the  one  crop  system,  the  farmers  are  diversifying  their 
agriculture.  The  soil  is  particularly  adapted  to  trucks,  and  the  soft 
genial  climate,  with  a  general  immunity  from  disastrous  frosts  in  the 
spring,  has  led  to  considerable  fruit  growing. 

About  five  years  ago  the  culture  of  tobacco  began  to  interest  our 
farmers,  and  during  this  time  it  has  been  amply  demonstrated  that 
Pitt  county  produces  the  choicest  of  bright  tobacco.  As  a  result, 
farmers  whose  lands  a  few  years  ago  were  incumbered  and  mortgaged, 
have  by  the  production  of  fine  tobacco,  cleared  themselves  of  debt,  and 


Dkscription  of  Counties.  385 


are  to-day  in  a  prosperous  condition.  The  crop  reaches  into  the  hun- 
dreds of  thousands  of  pounds  annually. 

Recently  an  impetus  has  been  given  to  stock  raising,  and  our 
farmers  are  introducing  better  cattle,  and  are  utilizing  the  richer 
soils  in  the  production  of  clover  and  grasses.  The  outlook  for  this 
industry  is  most  promising. 

The  farmers  have  more  money,  produce  more  of  their  supplies, 
and  are  more  generally  content  than  for  a  long  time,  and  with  the 
superior  advantages  of  climate  and  soil,  they  look  forward  to  a  still 
greater  prosperity. 

Pitt  county  is  supplied  with  water  transportation  by  Tar  river, 
which  passes  through  its  center,  and  by  Moccasin  river,  which  washes 
its  southern  border,  the  navigation  of  which  has  been  opened  by  the 
General  Government. 

A  railroad  from  Weldon  via  Scotland  Neck,  a  branch  of  the  Wil- 
mington and  Weldon  railroad,  passes  through  Greenville,  with  its 
present  terminus  at  Kinston. 

Greenville,  the  county  seat,  is  situated  on  Tar  river,  has  the 
benefit  of  steamboat  navigation,  and  has  a  population  of  more  than 
2,000. 

Pitt  county  has  389,838  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $1,758,741,  and 
728  town  lots,  valued  at  $327,082. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — 2,620  horses;  1.852  mules;  1,031 
goats;  9,829  cattle;  29,137  hogs,  and  1,962  sheep. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  use,  $7,014.60;  pensions,  $1,465.38; 
schools,  $12,521.17;  county,  $9,583.40. 

Population — white,  13,192;  colored,  12,327;  total,  25,519. 

POLK. 

Polk  is  the  southernmost  of  the  mountain  counties,  lying  upon 
the  border  of  South  Carolina  and  of  the  cotton  belt,  which  barely  en- 
ters its  southeastern  corner.  One-half  of  the  territory  of  the  county 
is  mountainous,  as  it  is  bounded  westward  by  the  Blue  Ridge,  and  its 
western  and  northern  sections  are  penetrated  by  heavy  and  long 
spurs,  thrown  out  from  that  range.  It  is  crossed  from  west  to  east 
and  nearly  its  entire  territory  is  drained  by  the  waters  of  Green  river, 
one  of  the  principal  tributaries  of  the  Broad.  Along  this  river  valley, 
as  well  as  on  some  of  the  tributaries,  are  wide  stretches  of  bottom 
lands  of  clay  and  sandy  loams.  The  middle  part  of  the  county  is  a 
somewhat  broken  plateau  of  1,000  feet  elevation,  and  has  a  gravelly 
and  slaty  soil  of  a  light  color  and  loose  texture  and  fair  fertility, 
and  inferior  forest,  as  to  size,  of  pine,  oak  and  chestnut.  The  south- 
eastern section  is  of  the  same  character,  but  of  greater  fertility.  A  large 
part  of  the  uplands  and  of  the  mountain  slopes  in  the  west  and  north 
has  forests  largely  of  oak  and  a  yellowish  or  gray  loamy  soil  of  good 
quality.  In  the  higher  parts,  where  the  soil  is  of  the  better  grades, 
chestnut  and  chestnut  oak  are  abundant.  The  principal  agricultural 
pursuit  is  the  production  of  grain  crops.  There  are  several  gold 
mines  in  the  middle  and  southern  sections.  Here  also  is  found  mona- 
zite,  which  is  mined  to  some  extent. 


386  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


The  cotton  crop  of  the  county  does  not  exceed  500  bales  yearly. 
Grains  and  fruits  are  the  chief  objects  of  industrial  pursuits.  The 
most  famous  of  the  thermal  belts  lies  in  this  county,  and  is  largely 
engaging  the  attention  of  orchardists  and  vineyardists.  The  climate 
is  regarded  as  favorable  in  pulmonary  weakness,  and  health  resorts 
have  been  established  at  several  points,  notably  at  Tryon  City,  Col- 
umbus and  Spring  Mountain  Park. 

The  county  is  traversed  by  the  Asheville  and  Spartanburg  Rail- 
road. 

Columbus  is  the  county  seat. 

Polk  county  has  134,705  acres  of  land  valued  at  $569,477;  and 
271  town  lots  valued  at  ^112,785. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — horses,  451;  mules,  599;  goats, 
3,097;  cattle,  5,072,  and  1,473  sheep. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  use,  $2,012.98;  pensions,  $393.69; 
schools,  $3,121.66;  county,  $2,667.08. 

Population — white,  4,807;  colored,  1,095;  total,  5,902. 

RANDOLPH. 

This  county,  in  general  profile,  is  an  inclined  plane,  dipping 
southward,  and  making  a  descent  of  more  than  400  feet  from  an 
altitude  of  about  800  feet  on  the  north  to  an  altitude  of  300  or  400  feet 
on  the  south,  a  rate  of  fourteen  or  fifteen  feet  per  mile.  The  surface 
is  diversified  by  subordinate  plains  and  extensive  hilly  districts,  and 
marked  in  the  west  and  southwest  by  enormous  hills  that  "  approach 
the  measure  and  dignity  of  mountains."  The  most  important  of  the 
physical  features  are  the  two  river  basins  that  extend  from  north  to 
south  across  the  county  in  nearly  parallel  depressions.  The  Deep 
river  basin  comprises  most  of  the  northern  and  all  of  the  eastern 
portion  of  the  county — Deep  river  entering  the  county  near  the 
middle  of  the  northern  boundary  and  running  a  tortuous  course  to  the 
southeast  corner.  The  Uwharrie  basin  occupies  the  western  side, 
the  Uwharrie  river  running  parallel  to  the  western  boundary, 
and  only  a  few  miles  from  it.  Both  of  the  above-named 
rivers  have  numerous  and  large  tributaries,  fed  by  bold  and  constant 
springs,  which  afford  an  ample  water-supply.  Between  these  two 
river  basins  is  the  divide,  or  water-shed,  extending  from  the  north- 
west corner  to  the  centre  of  the  county,  thence  southward  into  Moore 
and  Montgomery. 

The  western  and  southern  sections  of  the  county  are  characterized 
by  the  occurrence  of  sharp  ridges  and  hills  of  slate,  with  light-gray, 
sandy,  gravelly  soil;  but  the  upper  portion  is  much  less  broken,  and 
consists  of  broad,  flattish  swells,  which  constitute  the  divides  between 
the  upper  waters  of  the  Haw,  Deep  and  Uwharrie  rivers,  the  latter 
being  one  of  the  tributaries  of  the  Yadkin.  The  soils  of  this  portion 
of  the  county  are,  for  the  most  part,  gray,  gravelly  loams,  alternated 
here  and  there  with  red-clay  lands.  Cotton  is  produced  in  only  a 
small  part  of  the  southern  half  of  the  county,  the  production  of  small 
grains  constituting  its  principal  agricultural  feature. 


Description  of  Counties.  387 


Agriculture  is  the  leading  industry  in  the  county.  The  bottom 
lands  along  the  water-courses,  and  the  adjacent  coves  and  hills,  are 
naturally  very  productive,  ranking  among  the  best  farming  lands  on 
the  Atlantic  slope,  while  the  uplands  possess  a  fair  degree  of  fertility, 
and  return  generous  results  under  improved  methods  of  cultivation. 

This  great  variety  of  soil — the  alluvial  bottoms,  the  clayey  slopes, 
the  rocky  hills,  and  the  sandy  plains — gives  rise  to  great  variety  in 
the  productions  of  the  county.  It  may  be  safely  said  that  Randolph 
can  produce  successfully  and  profitably  everything  that  can  be 
produced  in  the  State.  It  can  produce  the  rice  peanut,  cotton  and 
sweet  potato  of  the  east  and  the  grains,  grasses,  fruits,  and  fine  tobacco 
of  the  west. 

The  range  of  hills.,  known  as  the  Uwharrie  mountains,  in  the 
southwestern  part  of  the  county,  constitute  a  part  of  the  same 
formation  so  prolific  in  the  adjoining  county  of  Montgomery  in  gold; 
and  this  metal  has  been  produced  in  several  mines  of  note  in 
Randolph,  and  has  long  been  an  object  of  unsystematic  search. 

The  county  is  traversed  by  Deep  river,  and  as  that  stream  cuts 
through  the  high  hills  which  become,  as  they  roll  away  to  the  south, 
the  Uwharrie  mountains,  provides  great  water-power,  applied  to  nine 
cotton  factories  which  have  been  prosperously  at  work  for  many 
years.  These  factories  are  now  made  accessible  both  by  railroad  from 
High  Point,  on  the  North  Carolina  road,  and  from  a  point  on  the 
Cape  Fear  and  Yadkin  Valley  road.  There  are  fifteen  cotton  factories 
in  the  county. 

Trinity  College,  in  the  northwest  corner  of  the  county,  was 
founded  in  1842  by  Rev.  B.  Craven,  D.D.  It  is  now  run  as  a  high 
school,  since  the  removal  of  the  college  to  Durham. 

The  county  is  touched  on  the  northwest  corner  by  the  North 
Carolina  railroad,  and  on  the  northeast  corner  by  the  Cape  Fear  and 
Yadkin  Valley  road,  and  is  penetrated  by  the  branches  of  those  roads 
already  referred  to.  The  first  named  branch  extends  to  Asheboro, 
the  county  seat,  which  has  a  population  of  1,500.  Randleman  has  a 
population  of  1,754;  Worthville,  375;  Archdale,  224;  Trinity,  380; 
and  Liberty,  500.  Franklinsville,  a  considerable  village,  has  its 
population  included  in  the  returns  of  the  township. 

Ramseur,  the  terminus  of  the  branch  of  the  C.  F.  &  Y.  V.  railroad 
is  now  a  flourishing  town  with  a  population  of  1,250,  and  has  several 
industries. 

Cedar  Falls,  a  prosperous  village  on  Deep  river,  has  two  cotton 
mills. 

Randolph  county  has  436,652  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $2,190,846; 
and  436  town  lots,  valued  at  $317,194. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — 3,411  horses;  2,747  mules;  197 
goats;  11,321  cattle;  18,167  hogs,  and  11,940  sheep. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  use,  $7,915.85;  pensions,  $1,603.05; 
schools,  $13,229.22;  county,  $10,756.24. 

Population — white,  21,848;  colored,  3,347;  total,  25,195. 


388  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


RICHHOND. 

Richmond  county  lies  on  the  border  of  the  long-leaf  pine  belt, 
its  eastern  and  southern  portions  (forming  not  less  than  three-fourths 
of  its  territory)  belonging  to  the  latter,  while  its  western  and  northern 
parts,  lying  along  and  near  the  Great  Pee  Dee  river,  belong  more 
properly,  in  their  agricultural  features,  to  the  zone  of  oak  and  pine 
sandy  hills,  being  quite  hilly  and  in  some  places  rugged.  The  slopes 
of  the  hills  on  the  river  front  and  its  tributaries  are  quite  steep  and 
broken,  and  have  a  clay  loam  soil, which  is  covered  by  oak  and  short- 
leaf  pine  forests.  In  the  northwestern  corner,  on  the  Pee  Dee  and  its 
tributaries,  are  wide  tracts  of  level  gray  loam  soils,  originally  covered 
with  heavy  oak  forests.  Through  the  eastern  portion  of  the  county,  in 
a  north  and  south  direction,  lies  a  considerable  tract  of  "pine  barrens," 
which  is  very  sandy  and  not  yet  turned  into  orchards  and  vineyards, 
for  which  it  is  adapted.  The  streams  which  drain  the  southeastern 
section  of  the  county  (one-third  of  its  territory)  flow  into  Ivumber  river, 
and  are  margined  through  their  whole  course  by  alluvial  tracts  and 
cypress  swamps,  the  divides  between  these  parallel  and  south-flowing 
streams  being  occupied  by  level  upland  piny-woods  tracts  having  a 
gray  sandy  loam  soil  of  fair  productiveness.  Cotton  is  the  chief  single 
interest,  but  the  product  of  grain  is  large,  and  the  turpentine  and 
lumber  interests  are  still  important,  though  there  has  been  rapid 
diminution,  almost  extirpation,  of  the  pine  forests  along  the  lines  of 
the  railroads,  where  saw-mills  were  erected  at  every  convenient  point. 

No  county  presents  more  striking  contrasts  in  its  soils,  timbers  and 
productions  than  does  Richmond.  Its  eastern  and  southeastern 
sections  are  interlaced  with  swamps,  but  readily  drained,  and  produc- 
tive in  cotton  and  corn.  The  northern  and  western  sections  are  hilly, 
with  a  red  or  rocky  gray  soil.  These  last,  especially  such  as  lie  along 
the  Pee  Dee,  are  the  most  productive  cotton  lands,  and  in  the  produc- 
tion of  this  staple  the  county  has  long  held  high  rank,  the  product 
being  from  12,000  to  15,000  bales  annually.  The  streams  which 
originate  in  the  pine  lands  and  tend  towards  the  Pee  Dee  river,  at 
Rockingham  encounter  a  sudden  and  violent  change  of  geological 
formation — encounter  ledges  of  rock,  precipitate  themselves  below  in 
lofty  cascades,  and  give  that  commanding  water-power  which  has 
concentrated  at  Rockingham  six  large  cotton  factories.  Besides  these, 
there  are  three  large  cotton  mills  at  Laurel  Hill  in  this  county. 

Rockingham,  the  county  seat,  is  situated  immediately  on  the  line 
of  division  between  the  sandy  and  red-clay  lands.  It  is  important  as 
the  seat  of  the  factories  above  referred  to.  It  has  a  population  of 
3,500,  including  Rockingham  township  and  Great  Falls  village. 
Laurinburg,  on  the  Carolina  Central  railroad,  has  a  population  of 
1.500. 

The  Carolina  Central  road,  connecting  Wilmington  and  Charlotte, 
passes  through  the  county;  the  Raleigh  and  Augusta  Air-Line  road 
has  its  terminus  at  Hamlet,  and  from  the  same  point  the  Palmetto 
road  extends  to  Cheraw,  S.  C,  and  also  from  Hamlet  a  railroad  ex- 
tends to  Gibson,  with  ultimate  terminus  at  Bennettsville,  S.  C. 


Description  of  Counties.  389 


Richmond  county  lias  441,101  acres  of  land,  valued  at  §1,411,259; 
and  599  town  lots,  valued  at  $262,180. 

Of  domestic  animals  it  has — 1,238  horses;  2,116  mules;  599  goats; 
4,587  cattle;  11,241  hogs;  850  sheep. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  uses,  $5,676.49;  pensions,  $1,185.90; 
schools,  $10,707.28;  county,  $12,534.50. 

Population — white,  10,989;  colored,  12,559;  total,  23,948. 

ROBESON. 

The  soils  of  Robeson  county  are  mainly  those  of  the  ordinary 
level  piny  woods,  but  there  are  belts  of  gum  and  C3'press  swamp 
along  nearly  all  of  its  water-courses,  those  on  the  two  main  streams 
being  quite  large.  The  county  is  drained  by  the  upper  waters  of 
lyumber  river.  The  lands  are  chiefly  devoted  to  the  culture  of  cotton 
and  corn,  but  the  value  of  the  potato  and  rice  crops  is  quite  consider- 
able. Turpentine  and  lumber  are  also  large  interests.  Marl  is  found 
abundantly  in  the  lower  half  of  the  county. 

Robeson  is  now  the  largest  county  in  the  State.  From  its 
extreme  northern  limit,  where  it  meets  the  counties  of  Cumberland 
and  Richmond,  to  its  southern  boundary,  near  Fair  Bluff,  in  Colum- 
bus county,  it  is  nearly  seventy  miles  long,  while  its  mean  breadth  is 
from  twenty-five  to  thirty  miles.  Much  of  the  county  is  covered  with 
swamps,  the  numerous  streams  being  all  margined  with  or  hid  away  in 
a  dense  growth  of  cypress,  gum  and  other  woods,  but  accessible  to 
drainage,  and,  when  drained,  producing  good  crops  of  cotton,  corn 
and  rice.  But  the  principal  object  of  drainage  is  to  obtain  access  to 
the  timber  for  making  shingles,  staves,  etc.,  obtained  from  cypress 
and  juniper.  The  black  gum  abounds  in  these  swamps.  Of  this 
wood  it  is  said:  "  This  timber  has  never  been  developed.  It  cannot 
be  split — not  even  by  lightning.  In  its  green  state  it  is  heavy  and 
soft;  when  seasoned  it  is  the  strongest  and  lightest  wood  we  know  of, 
equaling  hickory  in  strength  and  surpassing  it  in  lightness.  It  is 
specially  adapted  to  the  manufacture  of  tool-handles,  wagon-tongues, 
coupling-poles,  etc.     It  is  suitable  for  making  paper  pulp." 

Immense  deposits  of  marl  are  found  underl^-ing  the  great  swamps, 
a  suggestive  cause  of  their  fertility  when  drained.  These  swamps 
discharge  great  quantities  of  water  into  the  streams  that  empty  into 
Winyah  Baj^,  South  Carolina,  and  have  been  the  channels  through 
which  vast  quantities  of  timber  and  other  products  of  the  State  have 
been  taken  beyond  its  borders.  The  construction  of  railroads  has 
diminished  that  current  of  trade.  The  most  extensively  pursued 
avocation  is  that  connected  with  the  products  of  the  forest — timber, 
lumber,  shingles,  staves,  turpentine  and  rosin. 

Cotton  is  produced  to  the  extent  of  about  15,000  bales  annually. 
The  crops  of  corn  and  some  other  of  the  grains  are  large,  and  great 
quantities  of  peas  and  sweet  potatoes  are  made.  About  a  million  and 
a  half  pounds  of  rice  are  made  on  the  uplands  and  beds  of  drained 
swamps  or  along  marshy  borders  of  streams.  The  country  is  suitable 
to  most  of  the  fruits,  and  especially  the  native  varieties  of  the  grape. 
The  Flowers  grape,  a  sport  of  the  V.   Vinifera,  and  very  much  prized 


390  North  Caroi^ina  and  its  Resources. 


for  its  wine  making  qualities,  originated  here.  It  is  a  notable  fact 
that  in  this  county  every  crop  necessary  to  the  comfort,  support,  and 
maintenance  of  both  man  and  beast  can  be  produced. 

The  upper  part  of  the  county  received  a  large  share  of  that 
Scotch  immigration  which  followed  the  defeat  at  CuUoden  in  1746. 
The  middle  and  southern  portions  of  the  county  contain  numbers  of 
mixed  breed,  in  which  Indian  blood  predominates.  It  is  asserted 
that  they  are  the  descendants  of  the  lost  colony  of  Capt.  John  White, 
which,  despairing  of  help  from  its  founder,  united  its  fortunes  with 
the  Croatan  Indians,  and  eventually  ended  its  wanderings  in  Robeson 
county.  The  State  of  North  Carolina  provides  distinct  schools  for 
these  people  under  the  name  of  Croatans. 

The  Carolina  Central  railroad  passes  through  the  county,  and 
also  the  Bennettsville  (S.  C.)  branch  of  the  Cape  Fear  and  Yadkin 
Valley,  and  the  Short-cut  stem  of  the  Wilmington  and  Weldon  road, 
connecting  Wilson,  N.  C,  and  Florence,  S.  C. 

Lumberton,  the  county  seat,  on  lyumber  river,  has  a  population 
of  850,  and  Maxton  of  750.  Many  settlers  are  finding  homes  in 
Robeson. 

Robeson  county  has  610,233  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $2,135,858; 
and  838  town  lots,  valued  at  $301,239. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — horses,  1,801;  mules,  2,769; 
goats,  1,428;  cattle,  9,365;  hogs,^36.339;  sheep,  4,259. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  purposes,  $7,368.94;  pensions, 
$1,586.09;  schools,  $14,669.48;  county,  $11,525.43. 

Population — white,  16,629;  colored,  including  Croatans,  14,854; 
total,  31,483. 

ROCKINGHAM. 

Rockingham  is  a  border  county,  and  belongs  to  the  famous  bright 
tobacco  belt.  It  is  traversed  in  a  northeasterly  course  by  the  waters 
of  the  Dan  river,  and  its  southern  section  is  drained  by  the  upper 
tributaries  of  the  Cape  Fear  (Haw)  river.  The  northwestern  corner^ 
constituting  about  one-third  of  its  territory,  near  the  Virginia  line  and 
north  of  the  Dan  river,  consists  for  the  most  part  of  elevated  flattish 
ridges  and  swells,  having  gray,  yellow,  gravelly  loam  soils,  while  the 
southern  and  eastern  two-thirds  of  the  county  consist  of  alternating 
belts  of  these  loams  and  of  red  clays.  Besides  tobacco  in  which  this 
county  ranks  second,  large  crops  of  grain  are  produced.  Dan  river, 
with  its  tributaries,  furnishes  abundant  water  power,  and  the  former 
stream  is  navigable  in  a  small  way  for  flatboats.  A  bed  of  semi- 
bituminus  coal,  three  feet  in  thickness,  and  of  good  quality,  outcrops 
in  the  eastern  section,  but  it  has  been  but  little  mined. 

This  is  one  of  the  largest  tobacco  producing  counties — the  larger 
portion  of  it,  even  on  the  heavier  bottoms  of  the  Dan  and  tributaries, 
being  largely  devoted  to  that  purpose.  The  annual  average  crop 
approximates  5,000,000  pounds.  But  the  lands  are  also  suitable  to 
wheat  and  other  grains,  of  which  large  crops  are  made. 

The  Dan  river  runs  through  the  northwestern  corner 
of  the  county,  with  a  gentle  current  through  a  broad,  very 
fertile    valley.      This    valley    is    part     of    an     old    sea-basin,    and 


Description  op  Counties.  391 


is  believed  to  contain  valuable  stores  of  coal.  On  the  north 
side  of  the  Dan,  Mayo  and  Smith  rivers  break  into  the  valley- 
over  its  rim  of  sandstone  and  provide  valuable  water  power.  At  Spray 
the  water  power  has  long  been  used  in  application  to  a  large  cotton 
factory  and  woolen  mill.  It  has  been  used  also  to  drive  the  machinery 
of  the  acetylene  gas  works,  whose  product  has  created  such  a  stir  in 
the  scientific  world.  Another  large  cotton  mill  will  be  harnessed  to 
this  water-power,  the  contract  for  its  erection  having  been  let. 
Population,  500. 

The  water-power  at  Lewis'  falls,  on  Mayo  river,  has  been  utilized 
to  drive  the  machinery  of  a  large  cotton  mill,  erected  last  year.  The 
thriving  village  of  Mayodan  has  grown  up  around  the  mill. 

The  Roanoke  &  Southern,  now  the  property  of  the  Norfolk  & 
Western  Railroad  Company,  connecting  Roanoke,  Va.,  and  Winston, 
N.  C,  passes  through  Rockingham  county.  The  Southern  railway 
passes  through  the  eastern  part  of  the  county. 

Wentworth  is  the  county  seat. 

Reidsville,  on  the  Southern  railway,  is  an  important  tobacco 
manufacturing  town  with  a  population  of  5,000.  It  contains  three 
tobacco  warehouses,  numerous  factories,  the  second  largest  cotton  mill 
in  the  State,  patent  roller  flour  mill,  foundry,  guano  factory,  two  banks, 
two  newspapers,  a  first  class  graded  as  well  as  several  private  schools, 
five  white  churches,  electric  lights,  seventy-five  or  more  mercantile 
establishments,  etc. 

lycaksville  has  a  population  of  726,  is  reached  by  the  Danville, 
Mocksville  &  Southwestern  railroad;  has  two  warehouses,  several 
tobacco  factories,  one  carriage  and  buggy  factory,  two  newspapers,  one 
bank,  and  several  mercantile  establishments. 

Madison  has  two  tobacco  warehouses  and  manufactures  consider- 
able plug.  Population,  1,000.  Located  in  fork  of  Mayo  and  Dan 
rivers;  fine  water  power  right  at  hand;  two  railroads  meet  (Cape 
Fear  and  Yadkin  Valley,  and  Roanoke  and  Southern)  there.  It  also 
has  a  weekly  newspaper,  four  white  churches,  a  first-class  high 
school,  as  well  as  several  stores. 

Stoneville,  on  the  Roanoke  and  Southern  railroad,  is  a  live 
tobacco  town  of  250  population.  Two  factories,  a  warehouse,  a  suc- 
cessful school  of  high  grade,  several  mercantile  establishments,  etc. 

Rockingham  county  contains  341,803  acres  of  land,  valued  at 
$1,637,921,  and  1,456  town  lots,  valued  at  $779,000. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — 2,033  horses;  1,546  mules;  5,704 
cattle;  8,200  hogs;  1,379  sheep. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  uses, $7, 784. 70;  pensions,  $1,546.04; 
schools,  $12,934.57;  county,  $11,045.07. 

Population — white,  15,197;  colored,  10,166;    total,  25,363. 

ROWAN. 

Rowan  county  lies  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Yadkin  river  and 
south  of  its  principal  tributary,  the  South  Yadkin,  and  resembles 
very  closely  in  its  agricultural  and  topographical  features  the  county 
of  Davidson.     Its  entire   surface  is  drained  by  the  tributaries  of  the 


392  North  CaroIvIna  and  its  Resources. 


Yadkin,  which  traverse  its  territory  in  a  southeasterly  course.  Its 
middle  and  northern  sections,  which  lie  for  the  most  part  above  the 
level  of  800  feet,  rising  at  one  point  above  i  ,000  feet,  are  characterized 
by  an  abundance  of  red  clay  soils  and  heavy  oak  forests,  interspersed 
with  hickory,  walnut,  etc.,  only  the  higher  parts  of  the  water-sheds 
between  the  streams  showing  any  growth  of  pine  (short-leaf),  and 
having  gray  and  yellow  sandy  loam  soils.  The  southeastern  corner 
of  the  county,  amounting  to  one-third  of  its  territory,  is  quite  broken, 
and  is  traversed  by  low  ranges  of  mountains  or  high  hills,  which  rise 
in  places  to  a  level  of  1,000  feet  and  more  above  the  sea.  These 
consist  geologically,  for  the  most  part,  of  ledges  of  granite.  The 
hills  of  this  region  have  a  light  gray  and  yellow  sandy  loam  soil. 

The  culture  of  cotton,  while  greatly  increased  in  the  past  decade, 
still  occupies  a  secondary  place  in  the  agriculture  of  the  county,  most 
of  its  territory  being  better  adapted  to  the  growth  of  corn  and  small 
grains,  of  which  the  total  is  the  largest  in  the  State.  The  upper  por- 
tion produces  also  a  considerable  quantity  of  tobacco.  There  are 
many  gold  mines  in  this  county,  mostly  in  the  southern  and  south- 
eastern part,  and  several  copper  veins. 

This  is,  perhaps,  the  finest  grain-growing  county  in  the  State; 
more  oats,  corn  and  wheat  are  produced,  on  an  average,  annually, 
than  in  any  other  county.  More  hay  beyond  any  comparison  is 
raised  here.  Formerly  it  found  an  outside  market  to  the  extent  of 
1,400,000  pounds  in  a  single  year,  but  this  is  now  more  profitably 
employed  in  feeding  horses  and  cattle  at  home.  From  8,000  to 
10,000  bales  of  cotton  are  produced  annually,  and  tobacco,  in  certain 
portions  of  the  county,  is  raised  with  great  profit  and  in  abundance. 
There  are  twenty-five  flouring  mills  in  the  county,  all  run  by  water, 
half  a  dozen  or  more  steam  roller  mills,  which  manufacture  fine  grades 
of  flour 

The  gold  mining  operations  in  Rowan  are  on  a  larger  and  more 
expensive  scale  than  elsewhere  in  the  State.  The  seat  of  the  chief 
mining  industry  is  at  Gold  Hill,  a  village  of  several  hundred  inhabit- 
ants. "  Gold  Hill  "  and  its  associated  mines,  where  the  veins  have 
been  followed,  in  a  single  instance,  to  the  depth  of  800  feet,  and  in  a 
linear  distance  of  1,500  feet,  have  been  credited  with  a  production  of 
$3,000,000.  This  includes  the  total  output  from  the  several  Gold 
Hill  veins.  There  are  other  auriferous  veins  of  great  value  in  the 
county. 

The  Dunn's  Mountain  Granite  Quarry,  four  miles  southeast  of 
Salisbury,  is  one  of  the  most  valuable  in  the  country,  the  stone  being 
in  exhaustless  mass,  of  fine  homogeneous  grain,  and  of  color  almost 
Vv^hite.  It  was  used  in  the  construction  of  the  government  building 
at  Raleigh.  There  are  numerous  quarries  on  this  granite  range;  some 
of  the  granite  being  of  a  pinkish  or  flesh  color,  is  much  esteemed  for 
building,  ornamental  and  monumental  purposes. 

The  North  Carolina  branch  of  the  Southern  system  runs  through 
Rowan,  and  at  Salisbury  the  Western  North  Carolina  railroad,  making 
connection  with  Paint  Rock  and  Murphy,  and  with  all  the  systems  of 
the  great  West,  begins.     A  railroad  has  been  recently  opened  south 


Description  of  Counties.  393 


from  Salisbury  to  Norwood,  in  Stanly  county,  via  the  quarries  on 
Dunn's  Mountain,  and  the  village  of  Gold  Hill. 

Salisbury,  the  count}^  seat,  has  a  population  of  7,800.  It  is 
admirably  situated  for  trade  and  manufactures,  having  the  amplest 
railroad  facilities,  and  surrounded  by  a  remarkablj^  productive  countr3^ 
The  Southern  railway  system  has  recently  located  its  principal  shops 
at  Salisbury,  and  there  are  now  in  process  of  erection  seven  large 
shops,  at  a  cost  of  $250,000,  where  there  will  be  employed  about  1,000 
hands.  This  is  expected  to  add  about  5,000  to  the  population  of  the 
City.  It  has  three  large  Cotton  mills,  a  Knitting  mill.  Braided  Cord 
works,  besides  other  industrial  establishments.  Salisbury  is  well 
provided  with  high,  graded  and  normal  schools  for  both  white  and 
colored  races,  and  is  the  seat  of  Livingstone  College,  the  chief  literary 
institution  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Zion  Church. 

China  Grove  is  a  prosperous  little  town,  nine  miles  southwest  of 
Salisbury,  on  the  Southern  railroad;  it  is  making  progress  in  manu- 
facturing and  is  building  up  a  trade  of  considerable  importance. 

The  county  contains  numerous  other  small,  but  prosperous 
villages. 

Rowan  county'  contains  314.585  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $1,851,- 
072;  and  1,449  town  lots,  valued  at  $967,213. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — 3,628  horses;  1,757  mules;  8,717 
cattle;  11,511  hogs;  2,250  sheep. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  use,  $9,605.06;  pensions,  $1,823.11; 
schools,  $14,462.89;  count}-,  $8,096.29. 

Population — white,  17,142;  colored,  6,981;  total,  24,123. 

RUTHERFORD. 

The  topographical  features  of  Rutherford  county  may  be  described 
in  the  same  terms  as  those  of  Cleveland,  which  bounds  it  on  the  east. 
Like  that,  it  is  traversed  from  its  northern  limit,  in  the  South  Moun- 
tains, by  the  parallel  southerlj^  courses  of  several  large  tributaries  of 
the  Broad  river.  Its  northern  half  is,  in  many  places,  quite  rugged 
and  mountainous  (being  properly  a  part  of  the  Piedmont  Plateau 
region),  and  its  northwestern  corner  rests  on  some  of  the 
summits  of  the  Blue  Ridge,  at  an  elevation  of  nearh'  4,000  feet. 
The  scenery  of  this  region  is  unsurpassed.  Its  soils  and  its  agricul- 
ture correspond  in  all  their  features  to  those  of  Cleveland  county,  and 
its  cotton  product  has  increased  seventeen-fold  since  1870.  Gold 
mining  is  also  an  industry  of  some  importance,  especiallj-  in  the 
northern  section,  where  placers  are  abundant  and  extensive  on  the 
flanks  of  the  South  mountains  and  in  the  beds  of  the  streams  at  their 
base. 

From  the  southern  slope  of  the  South  mountains,  and  from  the 
eastern  slope  of  the  Blue  Ridge,  several  large  streams  have  their  exit, 
and  pass  through  this  count}^  to  unite  in  forming  the  main  stream  of 
Broad  river,  which  passes  into  South  Carolina.  The  principal  of 
these  are  Main  Broad,  which  is  on  the  western  side  of  the  county,  and 
then  turning  to  the  east  and  passing  along  the  southern  side;  the 
Second   Broad,  which   runs  through  the  centre  of  the  county   from 


394  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


north  to  south;  and  the  First  Broad,  which  passes  through  the  north- 
east corner;  and  all  of  these  are  swelled  by  numerous  affluents.  All 
of  these,  when  beyond  the  influence  of  the  mountains,  are  margined 
with  broad  belts  of  bottom  lands  of  great  fertility,  productive  as 
grain  and  grass  farms,  and,  to  a  considerable  extent,  as  cotton  farms — 
the  yield  of  the  county  being  from  2,000  to  3,000  bales  annually;  and 
Rutherford  county  is  practically  the  western  limit  of  cotton  culture  in 
North  Carolina.  The  whole  county  is  favorable  to  fruit — apples, 
peaches,  cherries,  melons  and  grapes — and  also  to  potatoes. 

The  mineral  wealth  of  the  county  is  very  great.  Among  the 
South  mountains  placer-mining  has  been  pursued  for  many  years. 
These  deposits  are  found  about  the  head-waters  of  First  and  Second 
Broad  rivers  and  Muddy  and  Silver  creeks,  and  have  been  worked  in 
a  rude  way  since  1830,  producing  several  millions  of  dollars. 
Here,  also,  the  mineral  monazite  is  found  and  mined. 

Rutherford  county  is  penetrated  by  the  Carolina  Central  railroad, 
its  present  western  terminus  being  at  Rutherford  ton,  a  distance  of  286 
miles  from  Wilmington.  The  Ohio  River  and  Charleston  railroad  enters 
the  county  from  Cleveland,  passes  through  Rutherfordton,  and  has 
its  present  terminus  at  Marion,  thus  giving  the  county  all  needed 
facilities  for  transportation. 

Rutherfordton  is  the  county  seat,  and  including  the  township, 
has  a  population  of  1,500.     Forest  city  has  a  population  of  500. 

There  are  four  cotton  mills  in  the  county.  Henrietta  mill  No.  i. 
is  the  largest  factory  in  the  State;  No.  2,  just  now  completed  and 
receiving  its  plant,  is  a  still  larger  mill.  Both  of  these  mills  are  on 
Second  Broad  river. 

Rutherford  county  has  318,724  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $1,411,- 
695;  and  484  town  lots,  valued  at  $164,378. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — 1,393  horses;  2,178  mules;  7,515 
cattle;  10,441  hogs;  2,997  sheep. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  use,  $4,584.20;  pensions,  $1,011.- 
76;  schools,  $9,043.50;  county,  $16,335.66. 

Population — white,  15,073;  colored,  3,697;  total,  18,770. 

SAflPSON. 

Sampson  county  lies  in  the  middle  of  the  long-leaf  pine  belt,  and 
much  the  larger  part  of  its  territory  represents  the  average  character 
the  soils  and  forests  of  that  belt.  It  is  drained  by  South  river,  one 
of  the  principal  tributaries  of  the  Cape  Fear,  whose  streams  divide  its 
territory  into  north  and  south-lying  belts  or  zones — flattish  swells,  the 
higher  portions  of  which  are  characterized  by  sandy  soils,  and  forest 
predominantly  of  long-leaf  pine.  In  places  near  the  southern  and 
western  margins,  and  again  near  the  northern  end,  there  are  tracts 
which  are  quite  sandy,  and  approach  the  character  of  pine  barrens. 
There  are  also  extensive  pine  flats,  especially  on  the  waters  of  Six  Runs, 
Big  and  Little  Coharie,  with  here  and  there  considerable  bodies  of 
pine  and  oak  flats. 


Description  of  Counties.  395. 


The  com  crop  of  the  county  is  much  more  important  than  that  of 
cotton,  and  the  crops  of  potatoes  and  rice  are  both  unusually  large. 
There  are  also  large  bodies  of  virgin-pine  timber,  still  valuable  both 
for  turpentine  and  for  lumber.  Marl  is  abundant,  and  is  used  with  the 
best  results  in  some  sections,  chiefly  the  northern.  The  cotton  crop  is 
a  considerable  one,  reaching  from  6,000  to  8,000  bales  annually.  Fine 
tobacco  has  been  cultivated  to  an  extent,  and  with  a  success  to  justify 
larger  enterprise.  Corn  and  peas  constitute  an  important  crop,  and 
sustain  the  ability  of  the  farmers  to  make  that  large  quantity  of  bacon 
for  which  the  county  has  long  been  noted.  The  lightness,  and  atthe 
same  time  the  fertility  of  the  soil,  enable  the  farmers  to  make  large 
quantities  of  sweet  potatoes,  and  the  large  bodies  of  flat  marsh  land 
are  favorable  to  the  culture  of  upland  rice.  Sampson  county  is  noted 
for  the  immense  quantities  of  the  whortleberry  (or  huckleberry)  which 
cover  the  country.  These  berries  are  remarkably  fine,  and  have  become 
invested  with  such  value  as  a  subject  of  trade  as  to  have  become  the 
subject  of  legal  protection.  The  fruit,  fresh  and  dried,  is  in  great 
demand  in  the  markets  of  the  northern  cities.  The  huckleberry  crop 
— wild — of  1895,  brought  fully  $100,000  into  the  count3\ 

Sampson  county  has  water  communication  with  Wilmington  by 
way  of  Black  river,  navigable  for  some  distance  into  the  county.  A 
branch  of  the  Wilmington  and  Weldon  railway  extends  to  Clinton, 
and  the  Cape  Fear  and  Yadkin  Valley  railroad  traces  the  western 
border  of  Sampson  for  a  distance  of  forty  miles. 

Clinton,  the  county  seat,  has  a  population  of  850. 

Sampson  county  has  526,514  acres  of  land,  listed  for  taxation, 
valued  at  $1,189,163;  and  629  town  lots,  valued  at  $136,763. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — 1,783  horses;  1,784  mules;  4,863 
goats;  11,633  cattle;  38,768  hogs;  and  6,370  sheep. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  use,  $4,267.04;  pensions,  $1,005.17; 
schools,  $9,578;  county,  $8,175.94. 

Population — white,  15,960;  colored,  9,136;  total,  25,096. 

STANLY. 

Stanly  county  was  formed  in  1841  out  of  a  portion  of  Montgom- 
ery count}^  and  was  named  in  honor  of  John  Stanl3^  The  county 
has  an  area  of  435  square  miles;  and  measures  twenty-six  miles  from 
north  to  south  and  twenty-eight  miles  from  east  to  west.  On  the 
east  is  the  Yadkin  river,  and  on  the  south  and  southeast  is  Rocky 
river,  and  numerous  large  creeks  and  branches  traverse  the  county, 
being  tributaries  to  the  rivers  mentioned. 

Its  soils  are  derived  from  the  clay  and  chlorite  slates  of  the  great 
central  slate  belt  of  the  State,  and  are  gray  and  gravelly  loams  or  red 
clays,  according  as  the  underlining  rock  is  of  the  former  or  of  the- 
latter  description.  The  principal  crops  are  wheat,  oats  and  corn,  the 
grasses  and  fruits.  It  is  famous  for  the  qualitj^  of  its  wheat,  which 
also  averages  a  higher  weight  per  bushel  than  wheat  grown 
elsewhere;  sixty-five  and  even  seventy  pounds  to  the  bushel  being 
made.  Cotton  and  tobacco  are  also  grown,  the  former  in  from  2,00a 
to  3,000  bales  annually.     Both  Irish  and  sweet  potatoes,  vegetables- 


396  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


and  fruits,  such  as  apples,  peaches,    pears,    plums,  small  fruits  and 
grapes  all  do  well. 

The  forests  are  of  pine,  oak,  hickory,  ash,  maple  and  kindred 
growths;  large  areas  are  still  in  forest,  and  this  constitutes  one  of  the 
chief  items  of  its  natural  wealth.  The  mineral  wealth  of  the  count)'' 
is  extensive,  especially  in  gold  bearing  ores  of  high  grade.  Among 
the  most  prominent  gold  mines  in  the  county  the  following  may  be 
mentioned:  The  Stanly  Freshold,  the  Barringer,  the  Crawford,  the 
Thompson  and  others.     The  future  of  gold  mining  is  most  promising. 

The  county  is  well  supplied  with  excellent  academies  and  schools 
and  these  are  well  attended.  There  is  a  large  cotton  mill  in  the 
county  and  several  wood-working  establishments.  The  water  powers 
of  the  county  are  immense,  and  may  be  found  on  both  the  Rocky  and 
Yadkin  rivers,  including  the  famous  "Narrows  of  the  Yadkin," 
treated  of  elsewhere  in  this  volume. 

The  Yadkin  railroad,  a  branch  of  the  Southern,  connects  Salis- 
bury with  Norwood  in  Stanly,  and  gives  the  only  outlet  by  rail  of 
the  resources  of  the  county. 

Albemarle,  the  county  seat,  has  a  population  or  400;  Norwood, 
350;  Bilesville,  250,  and  Palmersville,  50. 

Stanly  county  has  246,483  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $334,350  and 
433  town  lots,  valued  at  $120,838. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — 1,551  horses;  1,416  mules;  5,213 
cattle;  5,213  hogs;  3,815  sheep. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  uses,  $3,156.46;  pensions,  $668.31; 
■schools,  $5,595-97;  county,  $11,143.38. 

Population — white,  10,629;  colored,  1,507;  total,  12,136. 


Stokes  is  another  border  county,  and  belongs  also  to  the  bright 
tobacco  belt.  It  is  drained  by  the  upper  tributaries  of  the  Dan,  and 
belongs  to  the  Piedmont  Plateau  region  of  the  State.  Its  surface  is 
for  the  most  part  quite  rugged  and  broken,  containing  the  terminal 
spurs  and  ridges  of  the  Brushy  mountains,  which  here  attain  an  eleva- 
tion of  more  than  2,500  feet  above  the  sea.  The  general  elevation  is 
above  1,000  feet.  A  new  species  of  oak  makes  its  appearance,  the 
chestnut  oak,  which  occupies  the  crests  and  upper  slopes  of  the 
poorer  stony  and  gravelly  ridges  of  the  whole  mountain  region.  The 
proportion  of  sour -wood  also  increases  to  such  an  extent  as  to  become 
a  marked  characteristic  of  its  forrests.  It  is  worthy  of  note  that,  with 
the  extinction  of  the  herbage  which  originally  mantled  the  soil  and 
kept  it  moist,  the  chestnut  has  almost  disappeared  in  half  a  century 
from  the  upper  midland  counties. 

The  soils  of  this  county  resemble  those  of  Rockingham,  being 
predominantly  yellow  and  gray  gravelly  loams,  with  occasional  red 
clay  belts,  the  former  well  adapted  to  the  production  of  the  higher 
grades  of  tobacco,  which  constitutes  the  chief  element  of  its  agricul- 
ture, and  in  the  total  product  of  which  this  county  stands  very  high. 
Its  manufacturing  facilities  are  great  but  undeveloped,  and  it  is  rich  in 
iron  ores.     Its  agriculture  has  the  advantage  of  the  presence  of  several 


Description  op  Counties.  397 


limestone  beds,  and  there  are  also  outcrops  of  semi-bituminous  coal 
in  the  southeastern  section. 

The  Sauraton  mountains,  a  short,  but  bold  and  picturesque  range, 
uplift  themselves  about  the  centre  of  the  county  to  an  elevation  of 
about  1,800  feet  above  the  mean  level  of  the  adjacent  country,  and  as 
a  continuation  of  that  chain,  the  solitary  Pilot,  with  its  high  castel- 
lated crest,  stands  out  alone  upon  the  landscape,  the  wonder  and  also 
the  guide  of  the  aborigines,  and  the  admiration  of  their  civilized 
successors.  Around  the  bases  of  these  mountains,  the  country  is 
rough  and  broken,  abounding  in  minerals  and  also  in  mineral  springs 
of  marked  value.  This  broken  formation  lies  in  the  northwestern 
part  of  the  county. 

Along  the  Dan  and  its  tributarities  the  land  partakes  much  of 
valley  formation,  much  of  it  being  included  in  what  is  known  as  the 
Dan  river  coal  basin,  a  pre-historic  sea-basin,  whose  surface  is  exceed- 
ingly fertile,  and  from  whose  bowels  it  is  hoped  great  treasure  of  coal 
is  to  be  drawn.  Besides  coal,  which  is  proven  to  exist,  and  lime, 
which  is  known  to  abound,  vast  beds  of  iron  are  found,  and  their 
value  demonstrated  and  in  process  of  development. 

Few  counties  in  the  State  have  greater  agricultural  resources. 
The  rich  valleys  bear  enormous  crops  of  corn,  and  wheat  and  other 
grain  crops  flourish  everywhere.  The  great  crop  of  the  county  is 
tobacco,  for  which  Stokes  has  long  been  noted — the  dark  rich  leaf 
that  characterizes  the  adjacent  counties  in  Virginia,  the  product  of 
dark,  rich  soils,  and  the  bright  yellow,  the  gift  of  the  lighter  soils, 
being  equally  responsive  to  culture.  The  crop  will  average,  annually, 
from  3,000,000  to  4,000,000  pounds,  most  of  which  finds  a  market  in 
Winston,  though  some  of  it  is  manufactured  in  the  county. 

There  are  now  good  railroad  facilities  in  the  county,  the  Roanoke 
and  Southern  running  through  it?  southeastern  corner,  and  the  Cape 
Fear  and  Yadkin  valley  road  through  the  southwest  corner  and 
western  edge. 

Danbury  is  the  county  seat,  and,  like  the  other  villages  of  the 
county,  has  a  small  population. 

Stokes  county  has  209,032  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $1,137,014,  and 
436  town  lots,  valued  at  $97,444. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — 1,386  horses;  1,675  mules;  5,180 
cattle;  6,659  hogs;  1.484  sheep. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  use,  $3,863.56;  pensions,  $861.39; 
schools,  $7,753.40;  county,  $5,625.62. 

Population — white,  14,386;  colored,  2,813;  total,  17.199. 

SURRY. 

Surry  is  a  north  border  county,  contiguous  to  the  Blue  Ridge, 
and  belongs  to  the  Piedmont  Plateau  region  of  the  State.  The 
Yadkin  river  is  its  southern  boundary.  Its  western  section  is  quite 
mountainous,  and  there  are  small  mountains  in  the  middle,  so  that 
its  surface  is  quite  broken,  and  its  average  elevation  is  nearly  1,400 
feet.  Its  soils  and  forests  are  like  those  of  the  neighboring  counties 
— Stokes  and  Forsyth;  the  high  slaty  ridges  and  mountains,  as  well 


398  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


as  much  of  the  rolling  surface,  having  a  light  gray  sandy  loam  soil 
and  forests  of  oak  and  pine,  with  sourwood  and  chestnut,  while  the 
better  tracts  of  reddish  clay  loams  have  a  predominant  growth  of  oaks, 
hickory,  poplar,  etc.,  with  little  or  no  pine. 

The  agriculture  of  the  county  is  like  that  of  Stokes,  tobacco  of 
the  better  grades  being  the  chief  market  crop,  but  of  greatly  less 
value  than  the  grain  product.  The  water  power  of  the  county  is 
notable,  a  number  of  large  tributaries  of  the  Yadkin  crossing  its 
territory  with  a  fall  of  several  hundred  feet.  This  is  a  feature 
common  to  the  whole  Piedmont  region.  There  are  several  cotton 
factories  and  iron  mines  and  forges  in  the  county. 

The  Blue  Ridge,  in  part  of  its  course,  is  remarkably  prolific  in 
bold  streams,  which  rapidly  contribute  to  the  formation  of  the  large 
river  Yadkin,  which  catches  all  these  affluents  on  the  south  border  of 
the  county.  Among  these  streams  are  the  Ararat,  Fisher's, Mitchell's 
and  Elkin,  all  within  the  territory  of  Surry,  all  with  productive 
valleys,  and  all  with  remarkably  fine  water  power. 

The  mineral  interest  of  the  county  is  confined  chiefly  to  iron, 
large  and  valuable  deposits  of  which  are  clearly  defined;  in  fact  the 
deposits  have  been  exploited  and  the  quality  and  quantity  of  the  ores 
amply  demonstrated.     Other  minerals  are  found  in  the  county. 

Tobacco  is  the  most  important  money  crop,  and  the  annual 
average  of  the  crop  is  about  1,500,000  pounds.  The  other  principal 
crops  are  corn,  wheat,  rye,  oats,  fruits,  grass  and  live  stock.  About 
one-half  the  county  is  still  in  original  forest,  and  is  well  timbered 
with  pine,  oak,  chestnut,  poplar,  hickory,  walnut,  locust  and  cherry. 

The  most  noted  manufactures  of  the  county  are,  twenty-one 
tobacco  factories,  four  woolen  mills,  two  cotton  factories  and  two  shoe 
factories  and  various  other  lesser  plants. 

The  Cape  Fear  and  Yadkin  Valley  railroad  extends  from  Mt. 
Airy  to  Wilmington,  and  makes  good  connections.  The  Northwestern 
North  Carolina  railroad,  a  branch  of  the  Southern  system,  passes 
through  the  southern  portion  of  the  county,  the  two  lines  affording 
ample  transportation  for  the  products  of  the  county. 

Dobson,  the  county  seat,  is  situated  near  the  center  of  the  county, 
and  has  a  population  of  275;  Mount  Airy,  the  largest  town  in  the 
county  has  a  population  of  3,000;  Elkin  and  Pilot  Mountain,  about 
600  each,  besides  which  areRockford,  Siloam,  White  Plains  and  other 
thrifty  towns.  There  are  many  places  of  special  interest  in  Surry; 
Pilot  Mountain  is  a  favorite  point,  and  is  annually  visited  by  scores  of 
tourists,  and  the  White  Sulphur  Springs  has  gained  a  reputation  from 
the  curative  qualities  of  its  waters.  The  Mount  Airy  Granite  Co. 
operate  the  quarries  of  the  same  name,  which  are  the  largest  in  the 
State,  90  acres  being  the  extent  of  the  quarry;  stone  of  any  dimensions 
may  be  had,  and  when  in  full  operation  from  300  to  400  men  are 
employed. 

Surry  county  contains  302,299  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $1,257,067, 
and  1,447  town  lots,  valued  at  $72,151. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — 2,006  horses;  1,665  mules;  6,325 
-cattle;  7,267  hogs;  and  2,456  sheep. 


Description  of  Counties.  399 


Product  of  taxation — for  State  use,  $5,684.71;  pensions,  $1,204.37; 
schools,  $10,390.67;  county,  $8,018.58. 

Population — white,  16,926;  colored,  2,355;  total,  19,281. 

SWAIN. 

Swain  county  lies  north  of  Macon  and  west  of  Jackson,  along  the 
waters  of  the  Tennessee  river,  and  on  the  flanks  of  the  great  Smoky 
Mountains  on  the  north,  which  here  reach  their  culmination  in  eleva- 
tions of  nearly  6,700  feet.  With  the  exception  of  many  open  valley 
tracts  near  its  centre,  along  the  before-mentioned  river  and  its  tribu- 
taries, the  territory  of  this  county  is  hilly  and  broken.  The  proportion 
of  cultivable  land  is  very  nearly  three-fourths  of  the  whole,  as  many 
of  the  hill  sides  and  mountain  tops  are  tilled.  It  is  heavily  timbered, 
even  to  the  highest  summits  of  the  Smoky  mountains,  with  the  preva- 
lent mountain  forest  growths.  The  higher  levels  of  the  Smoky 
mountains,  above  5,000  feet  above  sea  level,  are  covered  with  forests 
of  firs,  while  the  more  elevated  coves  abound  in  white  pine  and  hem- 
lock, and  its  deep  gorges  and  lower  slopes  with  maple,  poplar,  linden, 
hickory,  chestnut,  buckeye,  walnut,  magnolias  and  cherry.  The 
summits  of  the  high  mountains  furnish  fine  natural  pasturage,  and 
grazing  has  always  been  a  profitable  industry. 

Clingman's  Peak,  in  the  Smoky  range,  is  6,660  feet  high,  the 
loftiest  of  the  whole  range,  and  is  in  a  group  of  mountains  between 
Pigeon  and  Tennessee  rivers,  where  this  long  chain  attains  its  maxi- 
mum elevation.  The  south  faces  of  these  mountains  are  very  fertile, 
and  covered  with  trees  of  enormous  magnitude.  Their  varieties  are 
named  above.  The  soil  of  these  mountains  is  so  deep  and  fertile  that 
with  the  exception  of  an  occasional  "bald"  or  grass-covered  summit 
the  growth  of  heavy  timber  extends  to  the  top,  the  balsam  fir  here 
attaining  its  greatest  height  and  diameter,  not  equalled  elsewhere  in 
the  North  Carolina  mountains. 

The  soil,  similar  to  that  of  Madison  county,  has  proved  very 
suitable  to  the  culture  of  fine  tobacco,  and  the  lands  are  being  applied 
to  that  use.  Corn,  wheat,  rye  and  oats,  tobacco  and  the  grasses  are 
the  chief  crops. 

The  Western  North  Carolina  railroad  finds  its  way  through  the 
county  down  the  banks  of  the  Tuckaseege  and  then  up  that  of  the 
Tennessee  and  the  Nantahala  to  the  Macon  county  line. 

These  rivers,  and  the  Ocona  Luftee,  are  the  chief  streams  in  the 
county.  There  are  other  large  mountain  streams,  such  as  Forney's, 
Hazel  and  Deep  Creek,  famous  for  trout,  and  also  for  wild  game  along 
their  borders. 

Along  the  Ocona  Luftee,  the  Soco,  and  a  portion  of  the  Tuckaseege 
rivers,  lies  the  greater  part  of  the  reservation  for  the  Cherokee 
Indians.  They  number,  according  to  the  census  returns  for  1890, 
711  souls.  They  have  adopted  the  habits  of  the  whites,  are  christian- 
ized, go  to  school,  pay  taxes  and  vote.  At  Yellow  Hill,  on  the  Ocona 
lyUftee,  the  Government  has  provided  them  a  farm  connected  with  a 
school,  where  they  are  well  instructed  in  elementary  branches  and  in 
mechanical,  agricultural  and  domestic  pursuits. 


400  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 

The  Baptist,  Methodist,  Presbyterian  and  Congregation alist 
churches  are  all  represented  in  the  county,  and  there  are  numerous 
well  conducted  schools  in  operation. 

Bryson  City  is  the  county  seat.  It  is  the  seat  of  several  steam 
saw  mills  and  wood-working  establishments.  Whittier  is  a  small 
village,  similarly  occupied. 

Swain  county  has  417,409  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $725,271;  and 
239  town  lots,  valued  at  $82,202. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — 613  horses;  308  mules;  4,742 
cattle;  4,779  hogs;  and  2,745  sheep. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  use,  $2,155.39;  pensions,  $419.20; 
schools,  $3,419.98;  county,  $7,676.35. 

Population — white,  5,652;  colored,  (including  711  Indians)  925; 
total,  6,577. 

TRANSYLVANIA. 

Transylvania  is  a  true  mountain  county,  having  on  its  whole 
southern  border  the  Blue  Ridge  in  its  most  massive  and  imposing 
form;  and  also  being  the  starting  point  for  the  Pisgah  and  Balsam 
ranges,  which  stretch  through  the  county  towards  the  north.  The 
only  exception  to  the  rugged  nature  of  the  surface  is  presented  by  the 
valleys  along  Davidson's  river,  and  along  the  French  Broad  and  its 
tributaries,  all  of  which  flow  through  broad  and  fertile  valleys,  and 
all  of  these  in  cultivation  and  in  a  high  state  of  improvement.  These 
valleys  are  the  foundation  of  the  stock-raising  which  at  present  is  the 
great  source  of  revenue  to  the  county;  and  great  efforts  by  intelligent 
men  are  made  to  improve  breeds,  and  still  further  develope  this  im- 
portant industry.  Much  the  larger  portion  of  the  county  is  in  forest, 
and  the  great  bulk  of  the  timber  growth  is  of  the  deciduous  hard- 
wood species,  oaks  predominating.  Besides  these  are  maple,  beech, 
hickory,  gum,  poplar,  hackberry,  spruce  and  pine.  The  balsam  fir 
and  the  magnolia  give  a  sharp  contrast,  and  exhibit  the  breadth  of 
climate  in  a  purely  mountain  region.  And  this  is  also  a  land  of  flow- 
ers; azalea,  rhododendron,  laurel  and  flowering  ash  spread  over  hill 
and  dale  in  a  profusion  as  lavish  as  entrancing.  But  to  the  fruit 
grower,  this  region  is  a  veritable  paradise.  Its  apples  are  in  flavor, 
size  and  quantity  unequalled  elsewhere.  An  orchard  of  500  seed- 
lings may  be  seen  without  a  worthless  fruit  among  them.  For 
growing  winter  apples  their  is  no  finer  region  on  the  continent. 
Small  fruits,  though  late  to  ripen,  grow  to  perfection.  The  black- 
berry, raspberry,  strawberry  and  grape  grow  wild  in  abundance. 
A  prolific  cranberry  also  grows  wild  in  the  woods,  while  the 
"Balsam  huckleberry,"  the  fruit  as  large  as  a  cherry  and  very 
delicious,  grows  in  such  numbers  as  to  become  the  feeding  grounds 
of  wild  bear. 

As  a  health  resort  this  county  is  conspicuous.  Dr.  Charles 
W.  Hunt,  of  Brevard,  who  has  made  this  subject  one  of  study, 
says:  "From  personal  experience  of  more  than  twelve  years  in 
this  section,  and  from  a  careful  study  during  that  time  of  this 
climate,  I  unhesitatingly  state,  without  fear  of  successful  contradic- 
tion, that  it  is  pre-eminently  bracing,  invigorating  and  healthful.'* 


Description  op  Counties.  401 


Next  to  climate  and  general  liealthfulness  is  the  quality  and 
distribution  of  the  water  supply.  Springs,  cold,  limpid  and  spark- 
ling, gush  from  the  hillsides  everywhere.  Were  it  necessary,  all  the 
bottom  or  valley  lands  could  be  irrigated,  the  churns  and  sewing 
machines  operated  and  each  family  could  have  its  own  water  sys- 
tem, all  by  gravitation.  The  water  power  of  the  county  is  almost 
limitless. 

The  soil  produces  grasses,  the  cereals,  tobacco  and  all  the 
fruits;  in  fact,  everything  grown  in  the  United  States  as  market 
crops,  except  cotton,  sugar  cane  and  rice,  which  have  been  tried 
here,  grow  to  perfection. 

In  minerals,  gold,  silver,  lead,  nickel,  copper,  asbestos,  corun- 
dum and  mica  are  known  to  exist.  The  Hendersonville  and  Brevard 
railroad  has  just  been  completed  to  Brevard,  and  will  prove  a  great 
stimulant  to  the  development  of  the  resources  of  the  county.  The 
exceeding  fertility  of  the  soil  and  the  excellent  natural  conditions 
all  point  this  out  as  the  most  desirable  region  in  the  magnificent 
mountain  counties   of  the  State. 

The  south  end  of  the  county  is  an  elevated  plateau  of  consider- 
able breadth  and  of  unique  characteristics.  A  portion  of  it  is  a 
broad  valley  of  such  dimensions  as  to  give  birth  and  dignity  to  a 
river  of  considerable  size,  which  runs  through  a  wide  area  of  culti- 
vation for  fifteen  miles  or  more,  and  then  tumbles  into  the  valley  of 
the  French  Broad,  1,000  or  1,200  feet  below,  over  the  steep  escarp- 
ment which  guards  the  plateau  on  all  sides,  in  a  series  of  water 
falls,  the  highest  and  fullest  among  the  mountains. 

The  French  Broad  river,  which,  in  its  upper  course,  is  a  placid 
stream  with  little  perceptible  fall;  has  been  made  navigable  from 
Brevard  to  within  twelve  miles  of  Asheville  by  the  work  of  the  Gen- 
eral Government.  But  though  a  steamboat  was  placed  on  the  river, 
no  useful  results  have  followed  except  in  the  improved  facilities  for 
floating  logs  and  timber  to  the  mills  below. 

Brevard  is  the  county  seat. 

Transylvania  has  235,607  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $633,168  and 
III  town  lots,  valued  at  $30,625. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — 871  horses;  8S4  mules;  4,106 
cattle;  5,655  hogs,  and  5,500  sheep. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  uses,  $1,899.85;  pensions,  $380.68; 
schools,  $2,957.37;  county,  $2,376.19. 

Population — white,  5,368;  colored,  513;  total,  $5,881. 

TYRRELL. 

The  description  of  Tyrrell  county  may  be  given  by  simply 
repeating  that  of  Washington,  except  that  the  great  intersound 
swamp  extends  over  a  larger  part  of  the  county.  Its  northern  third, 
lying  on  Albemarle  sound,  resembles  in  all  its  features  the  corres- 
ponding portion  of  Washington.  No  part  of  it  rises  twenty  feet 
above  sea-level.  It  is  bounded  on  the  east  by  Hie  great  projection 
from  Albemarle   sound  known  as  Alligator  river,  which  has  a  depth 

26 


402  North  Caroi^ina  and  its  Resources. 


nearly  equal  to  that  of  the  sound  and  a  breadth  of  from  three  to  five 
miles.  A  portion  of  the  rich  border  land  of  lyake  Phelps  lies  within 
this  county.  In  the  southeastern  corner,  along  Alligator  river  and 
its  tributaries,  and  on  the  western  side,  these  lands  are  semi-swamps 
and  oak  flats,  and  have  a  gray  silt  and  clay  loam  soil. 

What  is  said  of  the  resemblances  between  these  two  counties  will 
be  more  fully  said  in  the  account  of  Washington.  Tyrrell  produces 
about  1,500  bales  of  cotton  annually,  a  good  crop  of  corn,  potatoes, 
peas,  and  about  half  a  million  pounds  of  rice,  to  which  the  drained 
swamp  land  is  well  adapted.  Its  chief  industry  is  in  the  products  of 
the  forest,  abounding  in  juniper,  cypress  and  gum.  On  its  shores  are 
valuable  fisheries.  It  is  washed  on  its  north  side  by  Albemarle 
sound  and  in  the  east  by  Alligator  river,  an  arm  of  the  sound  nearly 
as  wide  as  the  parent  body. 

The  lands  on  the  south  of  Albemarle  sound  are  well  adapted  to 
the  production  of  early  trucks  for  shipment,  and  the  future  promises 
remunerative  emplo5-ment  to  those  entering  this  branch  of  agriculture. 
This  county  is  the  home  of  the  scuppernong  grape,  so  much  prized 
both  for  its  table  and  wine  making  qualities. 

Columbia  is  the  county  seat,  and  has  a  population  of  several 
hundred. 

Tyrrell  county  has  149,414  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $317,979,  and 
51  town  lots  valued  at  $26,955. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — 408  horses;283  mules;3,364  cattle; 
7,841  hogs;  1,909  sheep. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  uses,  $1,177.79;  pensions,  $258.20; 
schools,  $2,215.47;  county,  $1,517.51. 

Population — white,  3,000;  colored,  1,225;  total,  4,225. 

UNION. 

Union  county  borders  on  South  Carolina,  and  lies  between  Anson 
and  Mecklenburg,  from  parts  of  both  of  which  it  was  formed.  The 
southern  portion  of  the  county  is  penetrated  to  a  distance  of  several 
miles  by  belts  of  long-leaf  pine  (sandy  lands)  on  the  level-backed 
divides  between  the  streams.  This  portion  of  the  county  is  drained 
southward  into  the  Pee  Dee  through  South  Carolina. 

The  soils  of  a  larger  part  of  the  county  are  of  a  slaty  origin,  and 
are  gray  gravelly  and  sandy  for  the  most  part,  with  occasional  areas  of 
red  clays.  The  forests  are  mixed  pine  and  oak,  hickory,  etc.  The 
soils  of  a  narrow  belt  along  the  west  side  are  granitic.  The  cotton 
product  belongs  mainly  to  the  southern  half,  the  northern  portion 
being  devoted  to  small  grains,  of  which  it  produces  large  crops.  The 
chiefcrop  is  cotton,  of  which  about  12,000  bales  are  annually  produced. 
Corn  and  the  small  grains  constitute  the  remainder  of  the  agricultural 
products.  Frequent  creeks,  with  rich  alluvial  bottoms,  traverse  the 
county  and  provide  a  large  extent  of  fertile  arable  land. 

The  Carolina  Central  railroad  passes  through  Union  county, 
opening  up  the  markets  of  Wilmington  and  Charlotte;  and  the  Georgia, 
Carolina  and  Northern  road  has  recent!}^  been  finished  from  Monroe  to 
Atlanta,  Ga.,  and,  in  connection  with  the  Seabord  system,  has  added 
another  great  through  line  of  freight  and  travel. 


Description  of  Counties.  403 


Monroe  is  the  county  seat,  and  contains  a  population  of  3,000.  It 
is  a  town  of  great  business  activity,  with  cotton  factories,  banks  and 
public  institutions,  and  will  no  doubt  feel  the  impulse  of  its  added 
railroad  facilities. 

Waxhaw,  on  the  Georgia,  Carolina  &  Northern  railroad,  and 
Marshville,  on  the  Carolina  Central  railroad,  are  thriving  towns  with 
good  business  houses,  churches  and  schools. 

Union  county  has  383,971  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $1,428,365;  and 
630  town  lots,  valued  at  $314,899. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — 1,690  horses;  2,651  mules;  8,196 
cattle;  10,811  hogs;  and  4,967  sheep. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  use,  $5,991.70;  pensions,  $1,248.10; 
schools,  $10,709.50;  county,  $12,589.00. 

Population — white,  15,712;  colored,  5,547;  total,  21,259. 

VANCE. 

Vance  is  a  new  county,  formed  in  1881,  out  of  Granville,  Frank- 
lin and  Warren,  and  combines  the  best  qualities  of  those  three 
important  counties.  It  is  well  situated  as  to  railroad  communication, 
and  also  as  to  water-power,  character  of  soil  and  diversity  of  crops. 
The  county  is  traversed  by  numerous  streams,  with  fertile  lowlands, 
and  the  uplands  are  equally  adapted  to  cotton,  tobacco  and  the  cereals. 
•The  cotton  crop  yields  annually  about  3,000  bales,  and  the  annual 
tobacco  crop  averages  about  2.000,000  pounds.  For  diversity  of  crops, 
Vance  yields  the  palm  to  none.  The  principal  market  crops  are 
tobacco  and  cotton,  which  are  marketed  within  the  county  at  fair  and 
remunerative  prices.  The  cotton  is  of  an  unusually  fine  staple,  and 
the  tobacco  is  the  fine  yellow,  known  to  be  the  finest  tobacco  raised  in 
the  world.  Vance  is  happily  located  in  the  center  of  the  "golden 
belt"  district.  In  addition  to  tobacco  and  cotton,  wheat,  corn  and 
oats  are  raised  in  abundance,  while  the  usual  yield  of  rye,  potatoes, 
millet,  peas,  beans,  peanuts  and  melons  is  large  and  somewhat  above 
the  general  average  of  the  State.  Apples,  peaches,  pears,  plums, 
cherries,  stawberries  and  grapes  have  done  well  and  are  raised  in  large 
quantities  in  many  parts  of  the  county.  Along  the  railroad  these 
fruits  are  raised  for  shipment  to  northern  markets,  and,  when  properly 
cared  for,  3deld  large  profits.  There  are  several  large  vineyards, 
where  the  different  varieties  of  wine  of  superior  quality  are  manu- 
factured in  quantities,  and  profitably. 

The  county  is  traversed  by  the  Raleigh  and  Gaston  railroad,  a 
part  of  the  Seaboard  Air  lyine  system,  and  by  the  Oxford  and  Hen- 
derson railroad,  a  branch  of  the  Southern  Railway  system. 

Henderson,  the  county  seat,  has  apopulationof  5,000,  has  several 
tobacco  factories,  sales  warehouses,  in  which  are  annually  sold  between 
8,000,000  and  12,000,000  pounds  of  leaf  tobacco,  and  is  the  market  for 
from  6,000  to  8,000  bales  of  cotton.  The  growth  of  Henderson  has 
stimulated  the  industrial  activity  of  the  surrounding  country  to  very 
marked  extent.  The  town  proved  to  have  been  most  advantageously 
situated.  The  tobacco  and  cotton  crops  here  overlap  each  other. 
Until  within  the  past  few  years  very  little  or  no  tobacco  was  raised 


404  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


east  of  Henderson,  and  very  little  or  no  cotton  west.  Now  the  bright 
yellow  tobacco,  for  which  this  section  is  so  famous,  is  raised  in  large 
quantities  east  as  well  as  west  of  Henderson;  and  cotton  is  planted 
successfully  west  as  well  as  east  of  this  town. 

Henderson  has  a  $125,000  cotton  mill.  The  county  and  town 
governments  are  well  managed  and  tax  rates  are  kept  at  the  minimum. 
In  the  county  are  many  northern  settlers  who  are  doing  well. 

Kittrell  has  a  population  of  317.  Middleburg  and  Williamsboro 
have  smaller  populations. 

Vance  county  has  165,217  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $863,943,  and 
914  town  lots,  valued  at  $616,157. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — 1,692  horses;  499  mules;  3,508 
cattle;  7,997  hogs,  and  562  sheep. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  use,  $5,394.70;  pensions,  $1,044.- 
45;  schools,  $8,573.26;  county,  $7,201.35. 

Population — white,  6,434;  colored,  11,147;  total,  17,581. 

WAKE. 

Wake  county,  in  which  the  Capital  of  the  State  is  situated,  is  one 
of  the  largest  counties  in  the  State,  and  shows  the  largest  product  of 
cotton.  It  is  drained  by  the  tributaries  of  the  Neuse,  and  lies  on  the 
eastern  margin  of  the  oak  uplands,  its  southern  and  eastern  sections 
partaking  of  the  agricultural  features  of  the  oak  and  pine  gravelly- 
hills,  the  forests  being  made  up  of  long-leaf  and  short-leaf  pines, 
oaks,  hickories,  dogwoods,  etc.  The  northern  portion  of  the  county, 
a''  well  as  the  western,  is  quite  hilly  and  broken  in  surface,  especially 
along  the  streams,  and  the  soils  are  predominantly  gray  and  yellow 
sandy  and  gravell)^  loams,  with  occasional  areas  of   red  clay. 

Wake  county  was  established  in  the  year  1770,  and  was  named  in 
honor  of  the  Wake  family,  into  which  the  then  Governor  of  North 
Carolina  (Try on)  had  married.  It  was  formed  from  portions  of  Orange, 
Johnston  and  Cumberland  counties,  and  lies  midway  between  the  Blue 
Ridge  mountains  on  the  west  and  the  Atlantic  Ocean  on  the  east. 

Politically  the  centre  of  the  State,  by  singular  coincidence  it 
appears  to  be  the  agricultural  centre — a  common  ground  on  which  the 
crops  of  opposite  sections  find  congenial  soil.  Thus,  it  is  the  largest 
cotton-growing  county  in  the  State,  the  crop  reaching  as  much  as 
40,000  bales  some  years.  The  tobacco  crop  yields  from  500,000  to 
800,000  pounds  annually,  its  corn  crop  is  the  largest  in  the  State,  its 
wheat  crop  is  a  large  one,  its  oat  crop  is  a  good  one,  and  it  has  proven 
high  capacity  for  grasses  and  clover,and  excellent  adaptation  to  dairy- 
farming.  It  is  well  suited  for  fruits  of  all  kinds,  and  is  of  surpassing 
virtue  in  the  perfection  of  the  grape. 

The  county  has  some  mineral  deposits.  For  many  years  an 
extensive  vein  of  plumbago  has  been  known  to  lie  in  the  vicinity  of 
Raleigh,  which,  at  one  time,  was  extensively  worked.  Serpentine, 
asbestos  and  steatite  abound  in  some  'ocalities,  and  excellent  granite 
io  found  near  Raleigh  and  in  the  vicinity  of  Rolesville.  Out  of  the 
granite  obtained  on  the  eastern  margin  of  Raleigh,  the  State  Capitol 
was  built. 


Description  of  Counties.  405 


The  couuty  is  intersected  by  railroads,  all  centering  upon 
Raleigh— namely,  the  Raleigh  and  Gaston,  with  its  extension  south- 
west, the  Raleigh  and  Augusta  Air  lyine;  and  the  North  Carolina 
road,  now  a  part  of  the  Southern  Railway  system,  with  its  east  and 
west  connections,  which  so  cross  each  other  at  right  angles  as  to 
divide  the  county  into  four  equal  sections,  thus  giving  all  equal 
advantages. 

Neuse  river  passes  through  the  center  of  the  county  from  north- 
west to  southeast,  fertilizing  along  its  course  a  large  body  of  product- 
ive land  and  providing  great  water  power,  utilized  for  paper,  saw  and 
flouring  mills. 

Raleigh  is  the  capital,  with  a  population  of  13,081,  by  a  census 
taken  by  the  Mayor,  within  city  limits,  in  March,  1896.  The  popula- 
tion of  Raleigh  township,  of  two  miles  square  is  about  20,000. 
Here  are  the  State  Capitol,  the  Supreme  Court  buildings  and  Library, 
the  Agricultural  Department,  the  State  Hospital  for  the  Insane,  the 
Blind  Asylum  for  the  whites,  and  the  colored  race,  the  State  Peniten- 
tiary, the  State  Agricultural  and  Mechanical  College,  the  State  Fair 
buildings,  St.  Mary's  School  (female),  Peace  Institute  (female),  the 
Baptist  Female  Seminary  building  in  process  of  erection,  Shaw 
University  (colored),  hotels,  the  Governors's  Mansion,  the  United 
States  Court  building  and  Post  Office,  churches  for  all  denominations, 
etc.  There  is  a  liberal  system  of  electric  street  railroad,  electric  and 
^as-lighting,  water-works,  sewerage,  telephone  exchange  and  other 
conveniences,  a  cotton  exchange  and  cotton  compress,  and  numerous 
manufactories  and  industrial  works,  among  them  three  cotton  factor- 
ies and  two  fertilizer  factories.  The  city  has  a  fine  system  of 
graded  (public)  schools  for  both  races,  also  a  good  high  school  in 
which  boys  are  prepared  for  college.  Wake  Forest  College,  under 
the  control  of  the  Baptist  denomination  is  in  Wake  county. 

Cary,  a  village  lying  both  on  the  North  Carolina  and  the  Raleigh 
and  Augusta  Air  Line  roads,  has  a  population  of  450;  Apex,  a  popu- 
lation of  275;  Rolesville,  of  150;  Holly  Springs,  of  225;  Morrisville,  of 
150.     Wake  Forest  College  town  has  a  population  of  853. 

Wake  county  contains  530,941  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $3,553,860, 
and  2,602  town  lots,  valued  at  $3,437,972. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — 3,046  horses;  3,168  mules;  321 
^oats;  9.372  cattle;  21,958  hogs;  2,413  sheep. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  use,  $22,093.28;  pensions,  $3,991. 
76;  schools,  $30,470.26;  county,  $50,038.01. 

Population — white,    26,093;  colored,  23,114;  total,  49,207. 

WARREN. 

Warren  county  lies  on  the  northern  border  of  the  State,  and  is 
bounded  in  part  by  the  Roanoke  river,  the  tributaries  of  which  drain 
about  one-half  of  its  territory,  the  southern  half  being  drained  by  the 
Tar  river.  Through  the  middle  of  the  county,  along  the  divide 
between  these  rivers,  lies  a  wide,  level,  and  undulating  tract,  with 
forests  of  oak  and  short-leaf  pine,  hickory,  dogwood,  etc.,  having 
generally  a  soil  of  the  class  of  gray  and  yellowish  gravelly  and  sandy 


4o6  North  Carolina  and  its  Resourcks. 


loain,  and  frequently  belts  of  red  clay  loam.  Northward  and  south- 
ward the  land  becomes  more  hilly,  and  near  the  streams  the  soil  is 
more  clayey  and  often  reddish  in  color.  Many  of  these  streams  are 
bordered  by  narrow  strips  of  level  bottom  land.  The  tributaries  of 
the  Tar  on  the  southern  side  are  separated  by  wide  tracts  of  nearly 
level  oak  uplands, and  are  bordered  by  extensive  bottoms.  This  portion 
of  the  county  is  also  less  broken  than  the  northern.  The  agriculture 
of  the  county  is  divided  between  the  production  of  cotton,  tobacco, 
and  the  cereals;  but  the  vine  and  the  peach  flourish,  especially  in  the 
northern  and  western  sections  lying  within  the  hill  country.  The 
western  border  of  the  county  rises  to  an  elevation  of  500  feet,  so  that 
there  is  abundant  water-power  developed  by  the  fall  of  its  numerous 
streams,  many  of  which  leave  its  territory  at  an  elevation  of  less  than 
200  feet.  Gold  mining  has  been  a  profitable  industry  in  the  south- 
ern corner  of  the  county  and  the  neighboring  parts  of  Halifax,  Nash 
and  Franklin. 

Cotton  is  a  crop  of  much  importance,  the  annual  yield  being 
between  8,000  and  10,000  bales.  Tobacco  has  alvt^a3'S  been  a  heavy 
crop,  the  quality  being  mostly  of  the  bright  yellow  grades,  and  the 
annual  yield  is  about  1,000,000  pounds.  The  darker,  heavier  grades 
of  tobacco  are  also  produced  in  parts  of  the  county.  Wheat  grows 
with  healthful  luxuriance,  and  the  yield  is  very  great,  and  all  the 
other  cereals  produce  abundantly. 

The  county  is  traversed  by  the  Raleigh  and  Gaston  railroad, 
from  which  there  is  a  branch  road  to  Warrenton. 

Warrenton  is  the  county  seat  and  has  a  population  of  1,000, 
Littleton  of  560.  Warrenton  is  a  tobacco  market  of  importance,  and 
there  is  a  smoking  tobacco  factory  and  other  industries  in  the  town. 

Warren  county  has  250,752  acres  of  land,  valued  at  ^1,186,  493, 
and  309  town  lots,  valued  at  $215,458. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — 1,864  horses;  39°  mules;  7,106 
cattle;  11,196  hogs,  and  1,671  sheep. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  use,  $4,400.48;  pensions,  $907,13; 
schools,  $7,865.65;  county,  $10,987.98. 

Population — white,  5,880;  colored,  13,480;  total,  19,360. 

WASHINGTON. 

Washington  county  lies  on  the  southern  shore  of  Albemarle  sound 
and  Roanoke  river,  and  extends  southward  into  the  great  intersound,  or 
Alligator  swamp.  Only  about  one-half  of  its  territory,  next  to  Albe- 
marle sound,  has  been  brought  into  cultivation  to  any  extent,  the 
southern  half  remaining  in  its  original  condition.  The  cultivatable 
portion  consists  mainly  of  oak  flats,  having  a  close  gray  loam  soil  and 
a  growth  of  oak,  hickory,  beech,  maple,  and  short-leaf  pine,  with 
flattish  ridges  here  and  there  which  have  an  intermixture  of  long  and 
short-leaf  pine  and  sandy  loam  soils.  The  former  are  generally  quite 
fertile.  The  southern  portion  of  the  county  is  swampy,  and  is  charac- 
terized by  the  presence  of  two  considerable  lakes,  Phelps  and  Pungo, 
which  occupy  the  highest  portion  of  the  swamp,  and  from  which  many 
of  the  streams  of  the  county  take  their  rise.     Around  the  margins  of 


Description  op  Counties.  407 


these  lakes  are  narrow  belts  or  ridges  of  swampy,  mucky  land,  which 
were  originally  covered  by  heavy  forests  of  gum,  ash,  maple,  cypress, 
poplar,  juniper,  etc.  The  soils  are  of  great  depth  and  indefinite  fertil- 
ity. Much  of  the  swamp  land  of  this  portion  of  the  county  is  peaty  and 
worthless,  except  for  timber.  The  southwestern  section  consists  part- 
ly of  semi-swamps,  with  gray,  fertile  loams,  and  partly,  in  the  "lyong- 
acre"  country,  of  pocoson,  with  a  small  growth  of  pine  and  scrub  oaks, 
very  flat,  with  an  ashen  soil  of  close  texture,  silicious,  but  as  imperv- 
ious as  clay. 

More  cotton  is  produced  than  would  be  predicted  from  the  preva- 
lence of  swamps.  But  the  land  is  very  rich,  and  the  crop  reaches  from 
3,000  to  3,500  bales  annuall5\  Large  crops  of  corn  are  raised,  and  also 
of  sweet  potatoes.  A.  considerable  quantity  of  rice  is  raised.  Along  the 
shore  of  Albemarle  sound  there  are  productive  fisheries  of  shad  and 
herring.  The  chief  industr}^  of  the  southern  half  of  the  county  is  in 
the  products  of  the  forest.  There  is  every  facility  of  water  transporta- 
tion. Pungo  lake  and  Lake  Phelps  are  connected  with  the  sound  by 
canals  large  enough  to  admit  access  to  the  sail  vessels  used  in  shipping 
the  products  of  the  farms. 

Plymouth,  the  county  seat,  on  the  Roanoke  river,  has  1  population 
of  more  than  2,000  including  the  suburbs.  It  has  five  steam  wood- 
working and  lumber  mills,  and  one  steam  grist  mill. 

Roper,  a  prosperous  unincorporated  town  of  Soo  inhabitants,  has 
three  steam  mills  working  up  juniper,  cypress  and  pine;  and  Cresswell, 
a  thriving  villagof  350  souls,  has  one  steam  lumber  mill. 

Washington  county  has  190,568  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $480,953; 
and  272  town  lots,  valued  at  $113,217. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — 831  horses;  476  mules,  133  goats; 
3,799  cattle;  8,846  hogs;  1,443  sheep. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  uses,  $2,059.52;  pensions,  $465.05; 
schools,  $4,217.36;  county,  $3,009.18. 

Population — white,  4,961;  colored,  5,239;  total,  10,200. 

WATAUGA. 

Watauga  county  is  bounded  for  the  most  part  northwestward  by 
the  Stone  mountains  (a  part  of  the  Great  Smokies),  and  south- 
eastward by  the  Blue  Ridge,  in  the  direct  Appalachian  system. 
There  are  intervening  upheavals,  cross-chains  or  spurs  between  these 
greater  parallel  S3'stems,  which  give  the  county  a  very  broken  phy- 
siographical  aspect  and  lend  much  to  enhance  the  grandeur  and 
beauty  of  the  fcenery  for  which  it  is  so  justly  celebrated.  Among 
these  may  be  mentioned  Rocky  mountain.  Flat  Top,  Rich  moun- 
tain. Elk    Knob,  Beech  mountain  and  Hanging  Rock. 

The  average  elevation  would  about  equal  that  of  Ashe  county — 
3,500  feet.  Its  whole  surface  is  rugged  and  mountainous,  with  the 
exception  of  a  few  tracts  along  the  principal  rivers  and  their  afflu- 
ents, where  considerable  valleys  open  out,  with  occasional  stretches 
of  bottom  lands.  The  soils  and  forests,  as  well  as  the  predominant 
agricultural  features  of  this  county,  are  like  those  of  Ashe. 
The  less   precipitous  mountain  slopes  are   fertle  and  produce  excel- 


4o8  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


lent  crops;  while  on  the  more  level  hill  tops  grass  luxuriates.  There 
is  great  abundance  of  chestnut  in  its  forests,  and  on  the  Rich  moun- 
tains there  are  great  quantities  of  linden.  Its  high  levels  and  benches 
are  the  best  grass  lands  in  the  State,  and  in  consequence  cattle- 
raising  enters  largely  into  its  agriculture.  It  also  produces  corn 
and  small  grain  in  considerable  quantities,  including  wheat,  rye 
and  buckwheat,  the  county  leading  in  the  last  named  crop.  Of  the 
county  area,  20  per  cent,  is  tilled  land. 

Watauga  is  one  of  the  best  of  the  mountain  counties  of  North 
Carolina,  and  behind  none  in  its  natural  resources  as  a  grain,  grass, 
live  stock,  dairy,  fruit  and  lumber  region.  It  is  famous  for  its  cab- 
bage, Irish  potatoes  and  apples.  It  abounds  in  undeveloped  mineral 
wealth,  one  of  the  many  copper  mines  in  and  around  Elk  Knob 
being  the  only  one  which  has  as  yet  been  actively  worked,  and  exten- 
sive operations  on  it  have  been  commenced  and  profitably  pursued, 
but,  for  sufficient  causes,  operations  were  suspended  for  a  time,  but 
recently  have  been  resumed. 

Boon,  the  county  seat,  is  at  an  elevation  of  3,342  feet  above  sea- 
level,  the  most  elevated  county  seat  in  the  United  States. 

The  famous  summer  resort,  Blowing  Rock,  is  on  the  southern 
margin  of  the  Blue  Ridge.  It  is  an  elevation  of  4,090  feet  above  the 
level  of  the  sea,  and  is  equipped  with  good  hotels  for  the  entertain- 
ment of  yearly  increasing  swarms  of  visitors.  Within  a  short  dis- 
tance is  the  famous  Grandfather  mountain,  the  highest  point  in  the 
Blue  Ridge,  and  is  the  culminating  height  in  the  direct  Appalachian 
chain.  There  are  loftier  altitudes  in  the  pystem — Mount  Mitchell, 
for  instance — but  in  tracing  the  direct  Appalachian  chain  across  the 
continent  the  Grandfather  lifts  its  hoary  head  above  them  all. 

Some  twenty  miles  from  Blowing  Rock,  the  most  entrancing  of 
the  mountain  resorts  in  both  scenery  and  climate,  is  picturesque  Lin- 
ville,  in  Mitchell  county.  This  is  reached  over  the  famous  Yonah- 
lossee  road,  bringing  the  traveller  anon  to  ever  changing  views  of 
unsurpassed  scenery. 

The  name,  Blowing  Rock,  originated  from  the  constant  current 
of  air  passing  from  the  great  valley,  a  quarter  of  a  mile  below,  over  a 
projecting  ledge  of  rock  on  the  crest  of  the  mountain,  and  which  is 
often  strong  enough  to  return  a  handkerchief  or  hat  tossed  from  its 
precipitous  height. 

Watauga  county  contains  219,586  acres  of  land,  valued  at 
$808,092,  and  171  town  lots,  valued  at  $38,725. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — 1,857  horses;  466  mules;  8,246 
cattle;  8,076  hogs;  13,040  sheep. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  use,  $2,564.77;  pensions,  $572.68; 
schools,  $4,909.09;  county,  $4,609.69. 

Population — white,  10,180;  colored,  431;  total,  10,511. 

WAYNE. 

Wayne    lies   eastward    of   Johnston   county,    south   of   Wilson 

coimty,  aud  west  of  Greene,  on  the  waters  of  the  Neuse, which  crosses 

its  middle  portion  and  drains  almost  the  whole  of  it  directly  and  by  its 

tributaries.     This  county   resembles  in   all    respects   the   adjoining 


Description  of  Counties.  409 


counties  already  described.  Along  the  Neuse  river  and  some  of  the 
other  streams  are  considerable  bodies  of  alluvial  land  and  semi-swamp, 
and  not  infrequently  fringes  of  cypress  and  gum  swamp.  Along  the 
south  bank  of  the  Neuse  is  a  narrow  zone  of  pine,  conforming  in  its 
general  trend  to  the  curves  of  that  river, and  having  a  breadth  of  from 
one  to  three  miles.  Both  this  county  and  Johnston  have  still  consider- 
able areas  of  turpentine  and  timber  lands. 

The  cotton  and  grain  products  of  Wayne  county  are  large,  and 
those  of  rice  and  potatoes  are  considerable.  There  is  an  abundance 
of  marl,  and  it  has  been  used  very  profitably  informer  years;  but 
latterly,  as  in  the  cotton  region  generally,  commercial  fertilizers  have 
usurped  the  place  of  nearly  all  others. 

The  cotton  crop  of  Wayne  is  its  largest  money  crop,  amounting 
to  from  12,000  to  14,000  bales  annuall5^  The  fertility  of  the  soil 
along  the  margins  of  the  rivers  and  streams,  where  careful  drainage 
has  been  effected,  assures  abundant  returns  in  corn,  wheat,  potatoes, 
peas,  and  also  in  rice,  which  has  become  in  recent  years  a  large  re- 
munerative crop.  Truck  farming  is  also  pursued  on  a  large  scale, 
and  also  the  culture  of  berries  and  small  fruits  for  northern  markets, 
abundant  railroad  facilities  creating  the  means  of  successful  competition 
with  all  southern  rivals.  And  these  facilities,  extended  in  all 
directions, have  stimulated  all  industries,  agricultural  and  mechanical, 
to  the  extent  of  greatly  advancing  the  prosperity  of  the  whole  county. 

The  Wilmington  and  Weldon  road  passes  through  the  county; 
the  Atlantic  and  North  Carolina  road  connects  it  with  New  Bern  and 
Morehead  City;  the  North  Carolina  road,  of  223  miles  in  length, 
unites  with  all  points  of  the  State  west  of  it;  and  the  Midland  road 
connects  it  with  Smithfield  and  the  short-cut  of  the  Wilmington  and 
Weldon  road,  contributing  to  create  at  Goldsboro  a  commanding  and 
important  railroad  centre.  The  Neuse  river  is  navigable  from  New 
Bern  through  Wayne  county,  but  is  little  used  by  steamboats  above 
Whitehall,  in  the  southeast  corner  of  the  county. 

At  or  near  Whitehall  are  the  mineral  springs  known  as  the  Seven 
Springs,  valued  for  their  varied  and  efficient  curative  qualities. 

Goldsboro  is  the  county  seat, favorably  situated  at  the  intersection 
of  the  railroads  already  named.  It  has  a  population  of  4,500.  The 
city  contains  a  cotton  factory,  rice-mill,  furniture  factory,  agricultural 
works, knitting  factory, cotton-seed  oil-mill,  lumber  mills,  cigar  factory, 
and  other  minor  industrial  works.  Recently  the  tobacco  interest  has 
developed  to  considerable  business  proportions:  Goldsboro  has  one 
successful  warehouse,  and  another  is  being  built;  then  there  are  three 
large  prize  houses  for  manufacturing  plug  and  one  smoking  tobacco 
factory. 

Fremont  has  a  population  of  400. 

Wayne  county  has  333,700  acres  of  land,  valued  at$i,8o2,3o6;  and 
1,726  town  lots,  valued  at  ^1,315,625. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — 1,936;  horses;  2,371  mules;  2,894 
goats;  7,246  cattle;  38,976  hogs;   1,312  sheep. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  use,  $10,366.60;  pensions,  $1 ,984.68; 
.schools,  $15,929.24;  county,  $13,807.15. 

Population — white,  15,115;  colored,   10,985;  total,  26,100. 


41  o  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


WILKES. 

Wilkes  county  lies  west  of  Surry,  and  differs  from  it  only  in 
being  more  mountainous  and  rugged  and  having  a  greater  average 
elevation,  not  less  than  1,500  feet.  Its  northern  margin  rests  on  the 
summits  of  the  Blue  Ridge  (at  an  elevation  of  from  3,000  to  4,500 
feet),  its  southern  on  the  Brushy  mountains  (from  2,000  to  2,500  feet 
above  sea-level),  and  its  whole  surface  is  carved  into  a  succession 
of  mountain  ridges  and  intervening  vallej^s  by  the  Yadkin  and  its 
numerous  tributaries.  Its  agriculture  and  its  forests  may  be 
described  in  the  same  terms  as  were  those  of  Surry,  except  that,  with 
the  increase  of  elevation,  the  growth  of  chestnut  increases,  and  a  new 
forest  element  enters,  to  a  small  extent,  in  the  white  pine  {P.  stobus), 
both  in  the  South  mountains  and  on  the  flanks  of  the  Blue  Ridge. 
The  soil  and  climate  of  the  Brushy  mountains  are  peculiarly  adapted 
to  fruit  growing;  in  abundance  and  flavor  the  apples,  peaches  and 
grapes  are  unexcelled  anywhere.  These  fruits  seldom  fail,  because 
above  the  frost  line — 'or  in  the  isothermal  belt.  Along  the  margin  of 
the  Yadkin  river  and  its  larger  tributaries  are  frequent  and  wide 
tracts  of  sandy  and  clay  bottom  lands.  In  various  parts  of  the  county 
are  small  areas  of  reddish  clay  soil,  but  much  the  larger  part  of  it 
shows  the  average  oak  upland  soil,  yellow  or  gray  sandy  loam.  The 
lighter  soils  are  well  adapted  to  the  highest  grades  of  tobacco ,  the  culture 
of  which  begins  to  enter  largely  into  its  agriculture.  The  water  power  of 
the  county  is  very  large,  the  sources  of  its  multitude  of  rivers  having 
an  elevation  of  from  2,000  to  3,000  feet  above  tide,  and  their  exits 
from  the  county  less  than  1,000  feet.  This  county  lies  mainly 
between  the  highest  ridges  of  the  Blue  Ridge  on  the  northwest,  and 
those  of  the  Brushy  mountains  on  the  southeast.  The  slopes  of  those 
two  mountain  ranges  furnish  the  watersheds  which  meet  in  the  Yad- 
kin river.  These  watersheds  abound  in  streams  of  much  beauty, 
furnishing  at  the  same  time,  by  means  of  their  many  waterfalls  and 
shoals,  very  abundant  water  power,  while  along  their  banks  there  is 
very  fertile  and  beautiful  land  for  farming  purposes.  The  num- 
ber of  these  streams  is  somewhat  remarkable.  Among  them  are  the 
Mulberry,  Roaring  river,  Reddie's  river  and  lyittle  Elkin  on  the  north 
side,  and  Moravian  and  others  on  the  south,  whose  united  waters 
soon  create  the  flood-tide  of  the  Yadkin,  serving  the  double  purpose 
of  mighty  and  exhaustless  water  power  and  the  presentation  of  a 
series  of  broad  and  fertile  valleys,  scarcely  equalled  on  the  American 
continent.  These  valleys  are  all  remarkable  for  their  productiveness 
in  corn,  fertilized  by  the  sediment  deposited  at  every  overflow,  but 
an  overflow  so  gentle  and  gradual  as  to  involve  no  damage  to  the 
land  or  growing  crops.  Wilkes  is  a  producer  of  tobacco,  but  not  on 
a  very  extended  scale,  yet  its  soil  invites  to  the  larger  culture  of  it, 
and  recent  added  facilities  of  access  to  market  encourage  the  ambi- 
tious energy  of  the  farmers.  The  tobacco  taken  to  Vienna  some 
years  ago  from  this  county,  v;as  awarded  the  first  prize.  But  in  all 
the  small  grains,  in  potatoes  and  in  fruits,  everywhere  in  Wilkes  is 
exuberance  and  excellence.  The  clovers  and  grasses  are  well  adapted 
to  both  the  mountain  sides  and  valleys;  orchard  grass,  blue-grass  and 


Description  of  Counties.  411 


timothy  are  profitably  grown,  and  cattle  raising  enters  largely  into 
the  agriculture  of  the  count}'. 

The  Winston  and  Wilkesboro  railroad,  an  extension  of  the 
Northwestern  North  Carolina  road,  extending  from  Winston  to  North 
Wilkesboro,  a  distance  of  seventy-five  miles,  opens  up  a  section 
heretofore  accessible  with  difficulty,  touching  innumerable  main- 
springs of  prosperity  and  giving  promise  of  the  speedy  development 
of  a  most  fertile  country,  rich  in  all  the  elements  of  industrial  wealth, 
and  enjoying  all  those  advantages  of  healthfulness  and  scenic  beauty 
common  to  the  whole  Blue  Ridge  country  of  North  Carolina. 

Wilkesboro  is  the  county  seat,  with  a  population  of  400.  United 
with  North  Wilkesboro,  on  the  north  side  of  the  Yadkin,  by  elegant 
iron  bridges.  North  Wilkesboro  the  present  terminus  of  the  railroad, 
is  a  new  and  growing  town. 

The  climate  of  parts  of  Wilkes  has  been  compared  by  both  Pro- 
fessor Emmons,  of  Massachusetts  (at  one  time  N.  C.  State  Geologist) 
and  the  late  Bishop  Lyman,  as  more  nearly  approaching  that  of  Italy, 
than  any  other  spot  on  this  continent. 

Wilkes  county  has  425,466  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $1,092,593; 
and  780  town  lots,  valued  at  $155,921. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — 1,934  horses;  1,467  mules;  10,056 
cattle;  12,992  hogs,  and  5,964  sheep. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  use,  $3,766.44;  pensions,  $867.25; 
schools,  $7,802.65;  county,  $13,347.62. 

Population — white,  20,633;  colored,  2,042;  total,  22,675, 

WILSON. 

Wilson  county  lies  on  the  western  border  of  the  long-leaf  pine 
belt,  and  its  soils  belong  almost  exclusively  to  the  region  of  level 
upland  piny  woods,  and  correspond  in  some  respects  to  those  of 
Edgecombe.  This  county  is  traversed  by  numerous  streams,  the 
most  notable  of  which  is  Moccasin  river  along  which,  as  well  as  its 
tributaries,  are  found  considerable  tracts  of  alluvial  land  and  swamps 
(gum  and  cypress) .  Wilson  has  more  variety  of  soil  than  Edgecombe; 
the  upper  portion  of  the  county  corresponds  more  nearly  with  Wake; 
the  farms  are  small,  population  largely  white,  and  the  water  excellent 
and  free  from  malaria.  Marl  is  found  in  the  eastern  half  of  the 
county. 

Wilson  is  a  large  cotton  producing  county,  the  crop  averaging 
from  10,000  to  15,000  bales  annually. 

It  is  altogether  a  thrift}^  prosperous  county  with  numerous 
elements  of  prosperity.  It  is  traversed  by  the  Wilmington  and 
Weldon  railroad,  advantageous  to  its  industry  and  promotive  of  the 
creation  and  growth  of  several  thrifty  towns.  Wilson,  the  largest 
of  these,  is  the  county  seat,  with  a  population  of  4,000.  Here  is  a 
cotton  factor}',  tobacco  sales  houses,  fruit  and  flower  nurseries,  a 
military  college,  graded  schools,  chuiches,  etc.  Black  Creek  has  a 
population  of  200,  Saratoga  of  130,  and  Toisnot  of  500. 

Tobacco  culture  has  recently  developed  with  rapidit}'  in  Wilson 
county,  almost  altogether  in  the  best  qualities.     The  Board  of  Trade 


412  North  Carolina  and  its  Resources. 


reports  the  production  of  the  county  for  1895  at  4,000,000  pounds. 
The  prospect  for  the  current  year  (1896)  is  most  favorable  for  an 
increased  production, as  more  than  5,000  acres  will  be  in  cultivation  of 
this  crop.  There  are  four  sales  warehouses,  which  handled  combined 
in  1895,  7,500,000  pounds.  There  are  two  banks  in  the  town  of 
Wilson,  which  afford  ample  facilities  for  handling  both  the  cotton 
and  tobacco  crops. 

In  Wilson  county  there  are  213,189  acres  of  land,  valued  at 
$1,385,200;  and  783  town  lots  valued  at  $656,347. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — 1,019  horses;  1,856  mules; 
1,981   goats;  4,330  cattle;  20,725  hogs;  and  1,398  sheep. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  use,  $6,840.35;  pensions,  $1,333.50; 
schools,  $10,917-86;  county,  $9,532. 

Population — white,  10,884;  colored,  7,760;  total,  18,644. 

YADKIN. 

Yadkin  county  lies  immediately  north  of  Davie,  in  the  bend  of 
the  Yadkin  river,  which  bounds  it  northward  and  eastward.  It  is 
traversed  in  a  nearly  east  and  west  course  by  the  Brushy  mountains, 
which  here  drop  down  into  low  spurs  and  swells,  the  average  eleva- 
tion of  the  county  being  probably  not  greater  than  1,200  feet.  Its 
soils  and  forests  are  like  those  of  Davie  count5\  Its  agricultural 
interests  are  divided  between  the  production  of  tobacco  and  grain  crops, 
the  product  of  the  latter  nearly  reaching  half  a  million  bushels. 
Cotton  culture  has  invaded  its  southern  border  to  a  small  extent 
within  a  few  years.  There  are  several  iron  mines  in  the  county,  but 
they  have  been  little  worked,  as  they  are  too  far  from  market.  The 
soil  is  peculiarly  adapted  to  the  production  of  fruits,  such  as  apples, 
peaches,  pears,  plums,  grapes  and  berries. 

The  tobacco  crop  will   annuall}^  average  about  400,000  pounds. 

Yadkin  county  being  bounded  on  the  north  and  east  by  the 
Yadkin  river,  has  the  benefit  of  the  Winston  and  Wilkesboro  road 
which  runs  along  the  north  bank  of  that  stream.  There  is  no  rail- 
road in  the  countj^. 

Yadkinville  is  the  county  seat  with  a  population  of  200 

Yadkin  countj^  has  210,888  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $922,289,  and 
354  town  lots,  valued  at    $55,578- 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — 1,394  horses;  1,440  mules;  4,574 
cattle;  7,058  hogs;  2,173  sheep. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  use,  $3,022.06;  pensions,  $667.30; 
schools,  $5,678.46;  county,  $4,006.26. 

Population — white,  12,421;  colored,  1,369;  total,  13,770. 

YANCEY. 

Yancey  county  lies  on  the  west  of  Mitchell.  This  county  is  pre- 
eminently mountainous.  The  Black  mountains  penetrate  it  from  the 
southeast  and  extend  to  its  centre  near  Burnsville,  the  county  seat. 
There  are  eighteen  summits  of  this  range  in  this  county  rising  above 
6,300  feet;  the  highest.  Mount  Mitchell,  being  6,711  feet,  the  highest 
ooint  in  the  United  States  east  of  the  Rocky  mountains.     The  Smoky 


Description  of  Counties.  413 


mountains  separate  this  county  from  Tennessee,  the  highest  peak 
within  its  limits  being  the  Bald  mountain,  5,550  feet  in  height. 
Numerous  cross-chains  intersect  the  county  in  all  directions,  leaving 
very  little  valley  land  except  along  the  margins  of  numerous  small 
streams,  with  broader  ones  along  the  larger  streams.  Toe  and  Caney 
rivers.  But  mountains  are  the  characteristics  of  the  county.  These, 
without  exception,  are  fertile  to  the  very  top,  covered  with  deep,  rich 
and  friable  soil,  in  their  natural  condition  bearing  trees  of  great  size. 
The  walnut  often  attains  the  diameter  of  eight  feet,  the  wild  cherry  a 
height  of  sixty  feet  to  the  first  limb,  and  with  a  diameter  of  four  feet, 
the  poplar  with  a  diameter  of  ten  feet,  the  black  birch  or  mountain 
mahogany,  the  oak  of  several  species,  the  hickory,  maple  and  ash, 
the  yellow  locust  and  other  trees,  all  of  giant  size.  The  quantity, 
magnitude  and  excellence  of  forest  stores  has  attracted  attention  from 
abroad,  and  large  supplies  are  now  annuall}^  cut,  sawed  and  shipped. 

Brought  into  cultivation,  the  soil  is  very  fertile,  producing  all  the 
grains,  grasses  and  fruits,  the  apples  being  of  notable  excellence. 
The  mountain  sides,  when  cleared,  are  finely  adapted  to  all  the 
grasses;  large  quantities  of  sheep  are  raised,  and  cattle  in  large 
numbers  are  annually  driven  off  to  the  Virginia  markets. 

This  county  is  rich  in  metals  and  minerals.  Magnetic  iron 
abounds  but  is  not  yet  mined.  Other  ores  of  iron  are  abundant. 
Copper  has  been  found.  Five  miles  northeast  of  Bumsville  is  a  very 
fine  bed  of  chromic  iron,  which  is  said  to  yield  52  per  cent,  of  chrome. 
Nine  miles  east  of  Burnsville  may  be  found  kaolin  of  excellent  quality 
for  the  manufacture  of  fine  china  and  porcelain  ware.  Asbestos, 
corundum  and  mica  are  abundant,  one  of  the  most  prolific  veins  in  the 
United  States  being  worked  near  Burnsville. 

Tobacco  of  excellent  qualit}'  is  produced  to  the  extent  of  several 
hundred  thousand  pounds  annually.  Corn,  potatoes  and  cabbage  are 
grown  in  abundance. 

Burnsville,  the  county  seat,  has  a  small  population.  It  is 
situated  at  an  elevation  of  2,840  feet  above  the  level  sea. 

Yancey  county  has  185,440  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $345,379  and 
43  town  lots,  valued  at  $11,100. 

Of  domestic  animals  there  are — 1,265  horses;  875  mules;  4,599 
cattle;  5,818  hogs;  4,520  sheep. 

Product  of  taxation — for  State  use,  $1,144.39;  pensions,  $319.06; 
schools,  $3,181.52;  county,  $4,025.00. 

Population — white,  9,197;  colored,  293;  total,  9,490. 


State  Board  of  Agriculture 

EALEIGII. 

WITH     CORRECTIONS     ' 

RAND.    McNALLY     &    COMPANY,    CHICAGO, 
1896. 


1 


